Clearing old chemigrams

[hiroh]

I have some chemigrams that I made 4 years ago that are dear to me, but at that time it seems that I didn't know how to properly wash them. They are printed on Ilford multi-grade fiber based paper, fixed with Ilford rapid fixer and washed in running water, but in creating these chemigrams, I used some household stuff like olive oil. Even with the runnig water, it seems that olive oil wasn't completely washed out, and now 4 years later, I can see a yellowing on the parts where the olive oil stained the paper. I'm comparing it to the photos I took the day I made them, and the yellowing is progressed.

Do you think there's a way to save these prints so it doesn't progress further. Do you think washing it for another hour in a running water would be sufficient?

 

[nmp]

I have some chemigrams that I made 4 years ago that are dear to me, but at that time it seems that I didn't know how to properly wash them. They are printed on Ilford multi-grade fiber based paper, fixed with Ilford rapid fixer and washed in running water, but in creating these chemigrams, I used some household stuff like olive oil. Even with the runnig water, it seems that olive oil wasn't completely washed out, and now 4 years later, I can see a yellowing on the parts where the olive oil stained the paper. I'm comparing it to the photos I took the day I made them, and the yellowing is progressed.

Do you think there's a way to save these prints so it doesn't progress further. Do you think washing it for another hour in a running water would be sufficient?

Don't know anything about chemigrams, but if it is olive oil you trying to wash out you might need the help of a detergent, like dish-washing soap (as long as it doesn't screw up anything else in the print.)

:Niranjan.

 

[hiroh]

You mean I pour the dish-washing soap into my print washer under running water? Is there any specific kind of soap, or anything that I should pay attention or avoid?

 

[nmp]

You mean I pour the dish-washing soap into my print washer under running water? Is there any specific kind of soap, or anything that I should pay attention or avoid?

Probably a liquid soap without any additives like dyes or scents so it won't leave any residue. I would take a tray-full of warmish water, add a few drops, mix and then soak the print in there, rocking and agitating like a normal print. See if there is any improvement. Do the final wash in the print washer. Again, since I do not know if this would affect anything else, use caution. My thinking here is that if it is olive oil, it is not going to come out with plain water no matter for how long. Best if you have a scrap piece of a print that had the similar history that can be used as a guinea-pig before you treat your good one.

:Niranjan.

 

[Daniela]

Depending on how contained the oil stains are, I'd try to clean off the olive oil with q-tips dipped in something like a fine art restorer would do. Now, what that something (chemical) would be, I don't know, especially considering it's FB paper and it sounds like the oil soaked into the paper. I'd personally let the passage of time show so as not to risk ruining the whole chemigram.

Edit to add: baking soda is usually recommended to get oil stains out of paper/fabric by sprinkling a lot of it onto the stain, letting it sit overnight, and then brushing it off. Again, how that might affect the rest of the chemigram is another story.

 

[revdoc]

Any alkali will turn the oil into soap, and allow it to be washed out. As suggested above, bicarb will work, as will sodium carbonate. You can probably start with a weak solution, maybe 1%, and see how it goes.

 

[hiroh]

I'm trying the liquid soap first because I have a good one at home.

If it doesn't work, I can try other solutions.

Does multiple washing and flattening on the hot mount press can potentially damage the paper? Obviously, I'm very careful with handling it while doing all that.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

I'm trying the liquid soap first because I have a good one at home.

If it doesn't work, I can try other solutions.

Does multiple washing and flattening on the hot mount press can potentially damage the paper? Obviously, I'm very careful with handling it while doing all that.

The changes in a chemigram over time are sort of part and parcel with the process. Barring heavy physical degradation, just try to record the latest version of the paper rather than intervening chemically.

 

[hiroh]

The changes in a chemigram over time are sort of part and parcel with the process. Barring heavy physical degradation, just try to record the latest version of the paper rather than intervening chemically.

This is kinda relieving statement