Dish Soap

[_T_]

I think it’s a bit strange to revive a 13 year old thread and argue against someone who had forgotten more than you’ll ever know on the subject from beyond the grave when nobody is stopping you from using dish soap if you really want to

 

[Rick A]

Most modern dish detergents contain enzymes that aid in dissolving grease and fats. I would think these would be detrimental to the gelatin coating on film.

 

[abruzzi]

Photoflo is cheap per-use, but the initial cost is more than developer! So I ask again: if you don't need archival results, and you don't mind lemon-scented negatives, wouldn't a drop of "Ajax" in a quart of water suffice as a wetting agent?

The initial cost of Photo Flo is $13.99. Hardly expensive. Depending on my developer, pretty much all of it is more expensive than that: Rodinal: $13.99, HC-110: $43.99, PyrocatHD: $36.95

(all prices except the pyrocat are from Freestyle. Pyrocat in glycol is priced direct from Phot0 Formulary.)

 

[koraks]

if you don't need archival results, and you don't mind lemon-scented negatives, wouldn't a drop of "Ajax" in a quart of water suffice as a wetting agent?

Yeah, it works. I used dishwasher rinse aid for a while; a generic brand. It was cheaper than photoflo and it got the job done. At higher temperatures, it would make a milky/cloudy solution, so I stopped using it at some point. But for the temperatures at which B&W is usually done, it seemed to work fine. Archival? Maybe, maybe not - who's to say. But if you don't care about that aspect anyway, it'll work. Dish soap also works, but I preferred the rinse aid because it had less muck in it.

I think it’s a bit strange to revive a 13 year old thread and argue against someone

@gdavisloop asked a follow-up question that's relevant to the thread, so all is well! Let's stay on topic now, please.

 

[eli griggs]

I've indeed heard of using dish soap as wetting agent, mostly in the context of do-it-yourself photographic chemicals, like Caffenol for developing and water for stop bath.
Regarding Mainecoon's remark about isopropyl alcohol: I haven't heard of using it by itself, but many people swear that using it for part of the wetting solution instead of water will make the film dry faster.

Alcohol has long been used to speed drying times, for example English watercolourist would add a bit of gin or other liquor to their mixing/wash water (wash as in a large pre-wetted area on the WC PAPER, for effects, not washing off something) so the paper and paints would dry a little faster in the often damp English Country side.

If I thought there was a significant benefit to adding some alcohol to my wetting agent, I'd use it, likely Everclear Ethanol alcohol liquor, but I haven't so far.

By the way, for you non watercolourist, for watercolours, Ox Gall liquid has been and still is used as a 'wetting' agent, to break water tension for a smooth reception of paints, without the beading up of plain water on the starched wc papers.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Have any of you ever used a hypo allergenic dish soap as a wetting agent rather than something like Photoflo?

My father used a drop of dishwashing liquid, but I'm sure Photoflow is much better for the film.

 

[DeletedAcct1]

Have any of you ever used a hypo allergenic dish soap as a wetting agent rather than something like Photoflo?

No and I'd advise against using it.

 

[eli griggs]

Thanks, I was just curious because I had someone today extolling the virtues of hypo-allergenic Ivory soap to me.

I may be off track, but Ivory "Soap" has not been actually soap for decades now, but rather a detergent, which will have a different action than soap.

What influences on photographic materials it'll have, I don't have a clue to, so others will have to address that.

While their filling us in, perhaps they can take a look at using traditional wood ash lye soaps, without scents added?