How to clean a changing bag?

[Worker 11811]

I got a black changing bag from my uncle but it's musty and a bit moldy from being stored in the basement.
I have a darkroom where I can work on my film so I just put it away, thinking I would deal with it later.

Now, I am planning to take a long trip by car. Erie, PA to Simpsonville, SC. Probably about 1,500 miles round trip. Being out of pocket, I won't have access to my own darkroom and, if an emergency arises, I can't be guaranteed of finding a dark place in a motel room, etc. I thought it would be nice to have that changing bag along for the ride just in case I had to do an emercency film-ectomy or something.

Any tips on how to clean it?

I was thinking of hand washing in mild soap like Dr. Bronner's unscented then spin drying and hanging on a clothes line until completely dry.

Any other ideas?

T.I.A!

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

I would suggest hand washing with mild soap or oxyclean and very hot water, and probably two washes just to remove any mold. You do not want any of that on your film or in your camera bodies. Hang dry would be fine.

When dry, you should check for light leaks and patch those up if there are any with a few layers of black tape.

Also If it is a large bag you can use the box trick, where you unzip and place a box in there with holes cut out of the sides for your arms/hands. It keeps the bag off your sweaty hands and makes it much easier to work in the bag.

 

[fotch]

Some bags have a rubber coated cloth. With age, this may have mold on it or is drying out, cracking and it may be better to get a newer one. Good luck.

 

[Worker 11811]

It's a two-layer bag. The inside is made of black commando cloth. The outside is made of black Nylon. There are two zippers with double pulls that can be opened from inside or outside. (e.g. You unzip the bag from the outside, put your stuff in, put your arms through the holes then zip closed from the inside.)

The outer layer is the one that is dusty, musty and moldy. It is kind of rubberized but it's not brittle... yet.

The idea here is to have something on-hand for emergency use. Every once in a blue moon, you have to do a film-ectomy. Either you have to get the film out of the camera when the tail comes off the spool or, maybe, you have a malfunction or something. Being on the road, I'm not guaranteed to have a safe place to do that. Having the changing bag is basically a C.Y.A. measure.

Because the bag needs attention, that's the reason I put it away. I was probably going to need to buy another one anyway. But, since I'm going on a trip, I thought it would be a good thing to pack along, just in case.

 

[snederhiser]

Hello Randy;
Turn inside out and use Woolite in warm water, let dry on the clothes line. Shake to remove dust and be a happy camper, Steven.

 

[David Brown]

Buy a new one.

 

[removed-user-1]

I bought one like this once for $5. It was in great shape but smelled like a moldy storage shed. I just left it sitting in the sun for several days, then turned it inside out and left it for a few more, then shook it out real well. It's fine now.

 

[jeffreyg]

Best to get a new one but if that is out of the question you could first "treat" the mold with swimming pool algecide then wash as suggested.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[Worker 11811]

I probably will get another one but I'm leaving on Friday and there are no stores in town that sell such things, anymore. It would take a week for a new one to arrive via mail order. I didn't think about it until I was packing up, getting ready.

I washed the bag with hot water and Dr. Bronner's unscented liquid Castile soap mixed with a half a scoop of Oxy Clean. The bag is clean but it still smells just a bit musty.

Before I hung it up to dry, I soaked it in a pail of hot water mixed with some "20 Mule Team" borax.
Borax retards mold growth. This will prevent mold from growing again.

I've done this several times on different things in the darkroom. When I set up the darkroom I did a big cleanout before moving everything in. All the shelves got cleaned with hot water and Clorox then they got swabbed down with hot water and borax. It's been two years and I haven't seen a speck of mold.

Once dry, I expect that mold on this bag won't be a problem again.

The main reason I want this bag, now, is for emergency use. I'll store it in my case but probably won't use it unless it's needed.

When I get back I can decide whether I need a new one.
I probably will, eventually.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Randy, I think that will do just fine. Give it a nice shake outdoors when its not windy after its dry and you should be good to go.

And if you are still worried about it, a nice large thick winter coat fliipped, zippered up tight, and bundled at the neck and waist can be use as a changing bag too in subdued light. stick arms though armhole just as a regular changing bag.

 

[Ralph Javins]

Randy, thank you.

You reminded me that I need to look at my changing bag again, although it does not yet show any sign of needing any serious anti-spoor treatment. However, it is just a changing bag. One of the newer, larger "changing tents," you know, one of those with a lightweight framework that is assembled and put inside to hold the cloth out away from the equipment and your hands, really does sound like a nice thing to consider. Or, perhaps just making a framework to put inside the bag.

With the arrival of another toy, a 1945 Folmer-Graflex Anniversary Edition Speed Graphic, being able to reload a 4 by 5 sheet film holder in relative comfort is beginning to sound pretty nice.

Since one of my concerns is dust, I have also looked at using the vacuum cleaner to go over the inside portion of the changing bag.