How often do you guys clean the room?

[Rich Ullsmith]

And I mean really clean, as in remove everything not bolted down, and loosen the screws on the enlarger and retrue it. Is once every couple of years reasonable? I'm only down there a couple nights a week, more or less, and I haven't ever had dust or contamination problems to deal with. I don't have a grain enlarger that goes to the corners, but I see no degradation in the prints. I guess the thing is, everything in the process matters, whether I can see it now or not, and I don't know exactly what I don't know. And I would bet I make more mess than most folks, too. So, what do you guys do?

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

I print anywhere from once every three months to three times a week depending on how I feel. I align my enlarger before every session, but it's an Omega DII that is clamped onto a wobbly table with 2 c-clamps and a wood brace securing the top of the column to the wall. I use a laser level and mirror, it takes about 2 minutes to align. Otherwise, I keep the vacuuming to a minimum as it kicks up a lot of dust. Maybe twice a year i'll vacuum, dust and wipe everything down. I do wipe down the workspace with murphy's before every session though.

If you've ever seen a community college darkroom, or a darkroom that is shared by many people.. those are the dirtiest, at least in my experience.

 

[BradS]

I print in the bathroom. I wipe the floors and toilet with Clorox handy wipes, carry the Omega D-2 in from the garage, set it on the counter, change the light bulbs out with safe lights, set the trays down in the bath tub, fill 'em, close the door and shove a rolled up towel under it and go to work.

 

[Paul Howell]

I damp mop at the end of every printing session. Once a month I wipe down the walls, replace the filter in the vent. I check my enlarger at the begining of each session, I use a standard level. My darkroom in is a double bath, just a stall no tub, does not require much in way of cleaning.

 

[resummerfield]

I have a dedicated darkroom, which is well sealed and remains closed when I am not using it.

The countertops and floor are wiped down before and after every printing session, which is every few weeks or so. About once a year I thoroughly vacuum and clean everything, including the walls and ceiling and the hanging fixtures. The enlargers are thoroughly wiped at this time, and get their alignment checked.

 

[PVia]

I vacuum the room, an extra bath with a shower stall, no tub, about once a week to 10 days, same as the rest of the house. Occasionally, I'll damp mop the floor. The enlarger lives in the room, much to my wife's dismay, but she has been very good about it. I wipe down the enlarger, baseboard and easel before every session.

 

[eddym]

Clean? The room?:confused:
Did my wife put you up to this?

 

[Kilgallb]

I live on the dusty prairie so I like to clean up about once a week. I find cleaning and organizing the room very relaxing. Kind of like a woodworker sharpening the saws and chisels.

 

[David Brown]

"as needed"