Maybe you need to know how to seal an envelope, or maybe you're looking for alternatives to the standard licking method.You can always buy self-sealing envelopes at most office supply stores.You have a lot of options.
Step 1: If you only have one or two envelopes, consider the old-fashioned method.
If you don't have a lot of envelopes to seal, old-fashioned licking is the most common method.If you're handling a lot of envelopes at the same time, it can be cumbersome.Gum arabic, an ingredient found in a number of common foods, is the main ingredient in envelope glue.The glue won't kill you even if you cut your tongue on the envelope.
Step 2: The envelope should be licked.
Swipe the seal of the envelope with your tongue.
Step 3: The envelope should be sealed.
Run your fingers over the top of the flap to set it in place.The glue on the seal will bond with the paper of the envelope if the tongue is moist.
Step 4: Conventional envelope moisteners can be used.
Most office supply stores have these plastic bottles topped with a small sponge.Hold the bottle vertically, sponge-end down, and run it along the strip of envelope glue while squeezing.The envelope may be left sodden or puckered if you squeeze the bottle too much.When you need to seal a large number of envelopes at once, this method is more efficient.It can become messy if you squeeze the bottle too much.
Step 5: The machine can be used with a combination moistener/sealer.
These are the latest envelope-sealing technology and will seal your envelopes for you.Electric moistener/sealer machines will automatically feed envelopes, while manual machines must be hand-fed, potentially making them as labor intensive as other, lower-tech methods.Some models may work better than others because they are not without their quirks.Do your research before investing.
Step 6: A vintage envelope moistening wheel can be used.
Online and in stores specializing in vintage office equipment, you can find envelope moistening wheels if you prefer an old-school approach.The cylindrical wheel in the rectangular basin makes them look like an office tape dispensers.To use one, fill the basin with water, run the envelope's glue strip across the top of the wheel, and fold and seal it.The ceramic wheel of envelope moisteners is more durable than sponges.
Step 7: To help you moisten your envelopes, use a sponge, q-tip, inexpensive paint brush or cotton swab.
You may be able to seal a larger number of envelopes with this approach.If you fill a small bowl with warm water, you can use this method.Put your sponge, q-tip, paint brush or cotton swab in the water and rub it across the glue of the seal.Press down on the moistened flap to seal the envelope.Be careful with the amount of water you use.If you over-moisten, the paper may become soggy or pucker.
Step 8: Use tape or glue.
You can run a strip of regular tape across the top of the envelope by folding it down.You can use double-sided tape or glue along the inside of the flap before folding it down.Many prefer to use a glue stick over traditional liquid glue because it is less messy and dries more quickly.
Step 9: You can use stickers.
If you want to make a statement with your envelope, you can place stickers across the line where the flap and body of the envelope meet.Stickers may not leave the most professional impressions and may be less secure than other methods.
Step 10: Use nail polish to seal it.
One of the lesser-known qualities of nail polish is its ability to save you a lot of trouble when you're trying to seal envelopes.Press the nail polish shut on the inside of the envelope flap.If you want to avoid giving the envelope's seal an odd color, you should use clear nail polish.
Step 11: A wax seal is made.
The use of wax to seal envelopes is one of the most impressive methods of envelope-sealing.For hundreds of years the use of wax seals was limited to royalty and nobility, and today it carries with it an air of prestige that will impress your recipient.It is possible to melt things with fire if you seal an envelope with wax.There are two ways to use Sealing Wax with a Glue Gun and a Melting Pot.