Stop receipt fading

[hubner]

Does anyone know how to stop a receipt from fading?

I know you can scan/photocopy/take a photo, but is there a way to "fix" the ink permanently?

[rafletcher]

Laminate it and keep it in the dark and cool.

[Ashaman42]

I wouldn't laminate if it's a heat printed receipt. I know someone who did that with his weekly bus ticket and ended up with no ticket at all.

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[hellymedic]

I DON'T know!

Receipts fade to near nothingness in my purse, which is kept in my bumbag and is intermittently warm and maybe slightly humid.

I would suggest cool and dry might be best. If I could be arsed, I would try experimenting with one batch in a clean, dry bag in the freezer and another in the fridge.

My fax (yes, I still have one!) has a thermal printer and I could easily print a few sheets and keep in varying conditions.

BUT I'M FAR TOO LAZY!

[Ben T]

Apparently receipts are unhealthy as they give off phthalates.

[orienteer]

Make a photocopy?

[Greenbank]

I wouldn't laminate if it's a heat printed receipt. I know someone who did that with his weekly bus ticket and ended up with no ticket at all.

You can just use sticky-backed plastic to do the laminating, no heat involved.

[hellymedic]

I wouldn't laminate if it's a heat printed receipt. I know someone who did that with his weekly bus ticket and ended up with no ticket at all.

You can just use sticky-backed plastic to do the laminating, no heat involved.

Have you tried this?
Does the adhesive react with the paper?

I've had thermal paper go black in some conditions.

I had a legal friend whose office photocopied all the faxes they received in the past...

[rogerzilla]

Never iron a crumpled receipt.  DAHIKT.

[Greenbank]

I wouldn't laminate if it's a heat printed receipt. I know someone who did that with his weekly bus ticket and ended up with no ticket at all.

You can just use sticky-backed plastic to do the laminating, no heat involved.

Have you tried this?
Does the adhesive react with the paper?

Yes, but who knows what kind of receipt it is.

I'd take a photo of it as an initial backup first, then a photocopy, then laminate it with sticky-backed plastic.

(I used to the first two stages for DIY Audax receipts before sending them off, just in case. Never laminated them though.)

[Pickled Onion]

I used to sellotape guarantee receipts to a sheet of paper: the ink under the tape faded faster (to completely blank after a few years). Sticky backed plastic is probably not a good idea.

[hubner]

It seems the problem is the thermal paper which receipts are printed on. It turns black when heated, the printer doesn't actually put ink onto the paper.

My guess is that the colour change is not permanent and turns back to white over time.

[Jurek]

Correct.
Over the space of a year the details on my Network Rail card fade, to the point where it is no longer possible to read when the card expires.
I've taken to writing the expiry date on the card with a permanent marker, and then covering the card with self-adhesive clear plastic.

[Wowbagger]

Correct.
Over the space of a year the details on my Network Rail card fade, to the point where it is no longer possible to read when the card expires.
I've taken to writing the expiry date on the card with a permanent marker, and then covering the card with self-adhesive clear plastic.

Without being rude, Jurek, I was under the impression that you now qualified for the OBRC. This is made of plastic and doesn't fade.

[Jurek]

OBRC?

[Wowbagger]

Old Buggers' Rail Card.

[Jurek]

No rudeness perceived - but you are spot-on.
I'll be getting one of those once the Network Rail one expires, as I doubt anything on it is refundable.
More significantly, I'm entitled to free travel on the TfL network.
So my two auto top-up Oyster cards are being cancelled anon.