Anti-static cleaning a dry fb print

[iamidiosync]

I have been spending much more time Photoshop spotting the scans of my fb prints than I do spotting the actual print, because there appears to be a huge amount of lint and dust specks adhering to my prints. I mostly use Ilford MGFB glossy papers. I process for archival permanence. They are dried face down on screening. I handle the prints only with anti-static gloves. Wiping the prints with the gloves doesn't seem to work and I'm hesitant to be aggressive in using this method for fear of abraiding the print emulsion. Does anybody know of a safe way to clean lint and dust off the prints and perhaps also reduce static? I have considered trying my Antistaticum cloth but am concerned that the chemical treatment in the cloth will damage the print or render it no longer archival. Thanks.

 

[artonpaper]

Scanners get every little damn thing that the eye would probably not notice. George Tice used to wipe his prints off with a large powder puff. it is soft and nappy enough to get a lot of dust. Of course you would want a new one.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Ilford antistatic sprayed onto a barber's brush? Now I've looked up, probably the same as what artonpaper has suggested.
A late friend used this technique in his country darkroom on FB and RC prints in the 1980s and 1990s. It was also sprayed onto the primitive scanner platen of the day then wiped down with antistatic cloth. I didn't see any spicks or specks. All I saw was fancy stuff.

 

[Mr Bill]

Way back, probably twenty-something years ago, Kodak came out with these things called PTRs, Particle Transfer Rollers, for taking small particles off of film. In professional finishing, these are about as close to a magic bullet as it gets.

They're some sort of rubbery material that is slightly tacky, so it is able to pick particles off of film or paper, even against the pull of static electricity. When loaded up, they can be cleaned with running water (OR roll against a more powerful tacky material).

I see things like this advertised on TV for removing cat hair from your clothes, etc., don't know if it's the same thing. Mainly, you don't want it to leave any residue behind. I'd suggest check with your photo dealer to see if they carry any such products specifically for photo use.

I imagine these will increase static charge on the paper, but so long as you get it clean, so what? As long as you have some decent level of humidity in the room, the charges should bleed off fairly quick. If it were me, I'd also go on a search for the source(s) of the specifc dust you have. Maybe you can get it under control by changing the ventilation, or something like that. It might even be from the edges of the paper if you're trimming it yourself (examine under a powerful magnifier; maybe a sharpened trimmer blade is called for). Good luck!

 

[iamidiosync]

Thanks for the help. These are all good ideas and give me some directions to pursue. I really appreciate your ideas and efforts.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Just thought of something else: a lint roller, commonly available to remove cat fur, bird feathers and whatnot from clothes. Antistatic by design, the one we have — a brush-style, has been in the family since the 1960s! Nowadays, it's used to brush down appreciative kitty so that she doesn't choke on furballs...

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I use a huge microfiber to wipe the scanner glass and print (that I keep in a plastic bag). I also have a large antistatic brush that I sometimes use but not often. Usually I end up with only a few dust particles that I have to take care of: a few minutes max in Photoshop.

 

[iamidiosync]

Thanks again to everyone who gave me ideas on what to do. It was all good information based on experience and knowledge. I appreciate the wonderful community of film photographers here and elsewhere who keep the faith.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

When I scan, a wipe down the table under the scanner, use a air bulb
To blow of prints or negs and use a swiffer duster for the scanner glass.
http://www.swiffer.com/products/swiffer-dusters

I have cats and they shed