Age & other problems
I have some 35mm b&w negatives I developed and printed back in 1974, then did nothing with since then other than move them from a paper negative sleeve to a plastic sleeve. The original prints were college year book photos for my classmates. I've recently promised a new print for a classmate, took out the negatives and discovered steaks on the base side that look like drying streaks. I don't remember drying streaks, and I still have printing notes on some of them. I suppose it's possible that moves and changes in humidity resulted in some condensation that cause the steaks. While I can scan and photoshop out most of the streaking, I'd like to clean them. I've read advice to use alcohol. not use alcohol unless it's pure pure pure, mix it with distilled water, use distilled water with photoflow as if I was washing the negatives originally, wipe them, don't wipe them... Any consensus on removing just such water stains on the base side? I'm resigned to dust. There's no dust or crud embedded in the emulsion.
Second question - what's the current best thinking on storing old negatives? I have both my old square Brownie negatives from when I was a sprout, and many 35 mm negatives.
Muchas Gracias in advance. I just found this forum and look forward to perusing the different topics and threads.