Cleaning developing tanks?

Llamarama · Oct 15, 2014

Hello everyone, I recently loaned a couple of developing tanks to a friend and he forgot to wash them after use so they are covered in dried developer/fixer/photoflow residue. I've tried scrubbing it off, but I can't get in the nooks and crannys. Can anyone suggest any other ways of cleaning it? Many thanks - Mike

bdial · Oct 15, 2014

Stainless or plastic?

Either way, warm to hot water should take care of it, perhaps after a soak. If it's stainless you can try very hot water, along with scrubbing.
There are tray and tank cleaners available from Tetenal, Kodak and other makers, but some vendors won't ship some products.

I've never needed to use more than water, and sometimes some elbow grease.

Rick A · Oct 15, 2014

Cold water, a couple of Polident tablets, and let them soak over night. Tey should only require a rinse the next morning.

snapguy · Oct 15, 2014

We used to

We used to use hydrochloric acid to clean stuff but these days if you did the HazMat team would be banging on your door. Try the scrubbing with hot water and elbow grease first.

Patrick Robert James · Oct 15, 2014

I usually use bleach.

Gerald C Koch · Oct 15, 2014

1. Soak them overnight in a 1% solution of sodium sulfite. The exact percentage is not critical. This should loosen and neutralize any crud on the tanks and reels without damaging them.

2. Find a new friend.

msage · Oct 15, 2014

Gerald C Koch said:
2. Find a new friend.

I was taught if you borrow something, you give it back in the same or better condition!

cliveh · Oct 15, 2014

As my last processes are tap water followed by de-ionized water, I have never ever needed to clean a developing tank.

Old-N-Feeble · Oct 15, 2014

msage said:
I was taught if you borrow something, you give it back in the same or better condition!

Right... or better. Unfortunately, these days, we're lucky to have things returned at all. We're old school... new school is different.

Very hot deionized water soak.

MattKing · Oct 15, 2014

Run it through a dishwasher without detergent.

Llamarama · Oct 15, 2014

Thanks for the quick replies, sadly getting a new friend isn't an option (He gives me film occasionally, and says I can keep half the FP4 he gives me to bulk load, so it's not all bad). The tanks are no-name Jobo clones and are plastic, I have a few chemicals at my disposal but I think steeping them in hot water will probably do after a long soak.

I'll have a shot at the tanks tomorrow afternoon probably.

This talk of lending things out reminds me, I borrowed an LCR meter from a different friend, should really return it, it's been like 6 months... (Something about glass houses)

Cleaning developing tanks?

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