There are many times in life when you may find yourself needing to open and reseal an envelope without anyone knowing. While many people instinctively think of doing this to check someone else’s mail, it’s actually a crime and should be avoided. That said, there are times when you may need to enter it in a sealed envelope that won’t break the law.
For example, you might start sending a letter with a pre-sorted envelope before you realize you want to add something to the document. Or, you may want to return a letter to the sender without letting them know that you read it in the first place. An employee of yours may have sealed a “happy retirement” card for another employee without knowing that you wanted to include a gift card in the envelope. in these cases, you can choose to channel your inner secret agent and covertly open the envelope and reseal it without anyone noticing.
Most glues, especially those used on envelopes, cannot withstand extreme temperatures. freezing the glue will largely inactivate it so you can use a knife to break any remaining seals.
start by putting the sachet in a plastic bag so it won’t go bad in the freezer, even if something spills on it. then, leave the envelope in the freezer for about four five minutes. immediately use a knife to lift the flap off the rest of the envelope while the glue is still frozen.
Because the glue has just hardened in the freezer, it should still be usable when you’re ready to seal it again. simply lick the seal on the envelope or use a sponge to reactivate the glue, close the flap and press down. if it doesn’t seem to be sealing properly, use a glue stick or cotton swab moistened with liquid glue to add a thin layer of glue where the seal should be.
This is the method most people have heard of because it’s been featured in tons of sitcoms where teens need to review something the school sent their parents before their parents read it. in fact, ideally, this method should only be tried if freezing fails because it’s possible for the steam to warp the paper of the envelope and the contents inside. if the paper is too wet, be sure to lay it on a flat surface to dry.
The source of steam can be almost anything, but most people find steam from a kettle or cup filled with freshly boiled water to be the easiest to handle. Some people claim that using an iron on low heat with the steam on is actually more effective as there is less humidity, reducing the chance of water damage. once things start to loosen up a bit, use a knife to gently pry up the flap, using more steam if you feel any resistance.
To reseal the envelope, use a glue stick or liquid glue applied to a cotton swab, as the steam method makes the glue on the envelope unusable.
Microwave heating a sachet is risky and should only be attempted if the other two methods fail or are not possible in a given circumstance. because the heat of the microwave can cause the paper to catch fire, be extremely careful and only microwave the envelope for 10 seconds to start and then microwave again for five seconds at a time, checking each time to see if the seal has loosened, try gently running a knife under the flap.
To reseal an envelope after microwaving it, use a glue stick or a thin layer of liquid glue as you would steam opening it.