cleaning film

[jim4848]

I have been getting little bits of dust on my 35mm film. When I develop I hang it in the open as I don't have a drying cabinet. Are the film cleaning solutions I see at B&H and others ok to use to remove things like this.

Jim Olson

 

[Jim Jones]

The "dust" may be particles in the wash water. Try a final rinse in distilled water with a few drops of something like Kodak Photo-Flo. If the dust particles are airborn, try drying the film on the reels in an improvised dust free environment. Others have dried film in a bathroom where dust may be less a problem. A room blocked off from whole-house heating and air conditioning may have less of a dust problem.

The film cleaning solutions do help. Use them carefully to prevent scratching or other damage.

 

[Markok765]

If you hvae a small space try turning the hot water on before for a few mins. it will get the dust from the air so there wont be any on your film.

 

[jim4848]

Thanks Jim , I will give all those a try,

 

[Mike Kennedy]

If I may add one note to the bathroom film drying idea. I run the shower for a few minutes on HOT to raise a bit of steam that settles any dust. Let the room cool and then dry your film.

Mike

 

[jim appleyard]

Pec Pads are good, too; available at B&H and probably other camera stores.

 

[Claire Senft]

A very nice film cleaner is available from techcheminc (techcheminc.com) It is $21.00 a quart. The PEC will cost $55 for this amount in most stores. The Techchemic comes in a plastic bottle. The PEC comes in a can that tends to rust. Either film cleaner can be used with PEC pads.

Highly recommended.

 

[Travis Nunn]

I hang my film from the shower curtain rod and close the door for a couple of hours. No problems with dust.

 

[terri]

My darkroom is in a converted upstairs bedroom. I use a rinse aid, then hang my negatives in the closet, and close the closet door s.l.o.w.l.y. No problems.

 

[Bruce Watson]

I have been getting little bits of dust on my 35mm film. When I develop I hang it in the open as I don't have a drying cabinet. Are the film cleaning solutions I see at B&H and others ok to use to remove things like this.

My experience is that when dust and other contamination is allowed to dry onto the emulsion, they are permanent. You can't wash it off, you can't clean it off.

The key is to avoid it in the first place. Drying in a "dust free" environment as the others suggest is good. Using distilled water to mix your chemicals is good. Using a final rinse of photoflow or equivalent in distilled water is good.

You see where this is going: If you want clean film, you must have a clean process.

 

[Gerald Koch]

My experience is that when dust and other contamination is allowed to dry onto the emulsion, they are permanent. You can't wash it off, you can't clean it off.

The key is to avoid it in the first place.

I will second this.

BTW, a dust free drying cabinet can be made from a plastic garment bag.

 

[ann]

or, if you don't have alot of room, one of those plastic shoe bags from the container store will do the same thing, takes up less room.