Today, I sent out my first official mail through an envelope!! I did the printing, writing, sealing, stamping, flipping, and folding all by myself!! When it came to sealing, my dad suggested using tape, but I preferred going to the sink, wetting my finger with some water, and running it across the seal to make it sticky, before finally sealing the envelope up. Then... I was reminded of how in movies, people use saliva to seal up their envelopes, instead of water. They'd lick their finger and swipe it across the envelope. Then I felt a little grossed out at the thought that when I opened envelopes in the past, I might be touching dried spit. Ew. Does anyone else also have that little fear? And how do you guys seal your envelopes?
Most envelopes are pre-sticky now, so I don’t need to wet them, just pull off the adhesive tape. But I’m very much used to licking them and will still accidentally start licking an envelope out of habit. Tape is only for when the adhesive is old and no longer sticky enough to keep the envelope closed.
Ooh, yeah! I never did that because I worried I'd put too much and it'd spill or show through the paper or something
From the office supply store, I got a little water bottle with a sponge on top specifically for envelopes. When turned upside down, it wets the sponge. A quick swipe then wets the glue on the envelope's tab. Amazing what you find in the dollar bin sometimes. Edit: For my own personal mail, I use peel and stick envelopes where there's a sheet over the adhesive. Like these. The sponge is for bills and business reply letters that you'd normally lick.
As per @Anra7777 , please use dry glue sticks or self-sealing envelopes. Liquid glue/water/licking is totally unprofessional and unhygienic. Your envelope ends up all crinkly along the edges.
You aren't afraid of the taste or getting whatever's in the adhesive part in your mouth? >.< And pre-sticky envelopes...
Some of them actually taste good. When I was ten, a friend gave me some special envelopes because they actually tasted nice. The only ones that actually taste bad are the ones you’re not actually supposed to get wet and I accidentally started licking.
I make out with the envelope like it's a hot date. In all seriousness though, don't people just use letter openers or something to open the envelopes, thus bypassing the sealed part that's all germed up? And yea, I thiink post covid, most are going towards the pre-sticky pealable envelopes. I certainly appreciate those.
Tape! Though most envelopes I found are already sticky enough without my tape. Those with the peel-off tapes already on the envelope If I'm mailing friends (for some reason we're doing snail mail exchange), I'll use my untouched collection of washi tape and stickers