One antistatic, two cleaners, many (many) questions

[Diapositivo]

In my tool-bag there are three products for which I have questions for this knowing audience:

PEC-12:
That's easy, that's a notorious film cleaner and that's why I bought it. The question also is easy: I only bought the cleaner (inexperienced shopper). Should I also buy the PEC-PADs or can I use something else? Paper handkerchief? Cotton handkerchief? I understand this can be used without "washing it out", it should be "archival".

TETENAL GRAPHIC ARTS FILMCLEANER
"Free from FHCH" "Cleaning agent for graphic arts films, Mounting films etc. Antistatic properties".

This I certainly bought because I thought I might use it one day. That day never came also because I have no idea how to use it. The thing is not transparent, it's pretty pinky, and it carries no instructions.
I probably thought it would have been right to clean the BACK of film from dirt or fingerprints.
Could I use it also for the emulsion side? For which kind of dirt? And especially, how do I use it? PEC-PADs, paper handkerchief? This thing is not transparent, and that's scary. Should I wash out the residue with de-mineralised water after it cleaned the film?

TETENAL ANTISTATIC SPRAY
"Prevents static electricity".
"Antistatic spray, surface-active agent [...]"

This was a surprise gift by a nice reseller, I paid by wire transfer instead of by PayPal and he inserted this can into the parcel gratis et amore dei. I have no idea how to use it. I know it is supposed to be "sprayed" over "film" but I have doubts:

- Do you use it? Do you feel the need to use it? I scan a lot, but I'm afraid of long-term consequences of putting chemical stuff over my film. I would like some antistatic properties but not at the expense of long-term preservation of my masterpieces and less-than-masterpieces.

- If yes, do you spray it over a PEC-PAD/Handkerchief and use it over the film, or straight over the film? Both sides?

Thanks for any help
Fabrizio

PS In case you wonder why I bought stuff that I never use and don't know how to use, the reason is that when you buy by mail you buy stuff that you think you might need one day, and you don't want to reorder, you want to optimise shipping expenses, etc.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Hmmm Ive been using a folded pec pad, and holding it on the top of the bottle of film cleaner and doing a quick inversion, then wiping in one direction. I always blow and use a soft brush to get most of the dust off the negative that I am about to clean and print immediately. The pec pads are soft and hold up well with liquid on them.

 

[Diapositivo]

Thanks Newt_on_Swings.

Any suggestion about the antistatic spray? Can I use it after the film dries? Does the effect last indefinitely, or does it work only for a short time? I'm also worried about long-term effects of the substance on film. On the other hand, if it really gets rid of dust that would be great: any time one inserts or extracts the film stripe from the paper sleeve there's a risk for a scratch.

 

[pgomena]

I've never used an antistatic spray and would not want to apply one directly to film. If needed, I would apply it to a cloth and wipe down a negative carrier or light table. Any loose dust I would remove with a blast of air, a soft camel hair brush, or a bit of gauze or cotton. If you have a severe static problem, I would use a treated anti-static cloth and gently pass the cloth over the negative without any kind of scrubbing.

I have two bottles of negative cleaner sitting around unused as well. One is Kodak and I've had it for 20 years. It's about 2/3 full. It evaporates quickly and I would not hesitate to apply it to a gauze pad or cotton ball to wipe either side of a negative or transparency. The other cleaner is more volatile yet, Delta 1 Total Emulsion Cleaner. It, too, is supposed to be applied to a cotton ball or similar material.

Cleaning film is dicey business. If I had a really dirty negative, I would rewash it and maybe, maybe gently swab it with a cotton ball in a solution of Photo-Flo or similar product before drying.

Peter Gomena

 

[tkamiya]

I actually don't have all that good luck with PEC-PADs. They aren't absorbent and hard to wipe off the fluid smoothly and completely. I use clean white micro-fiber cloths - the kind used to clean eye glasses.

I used to use blow bulbs to dust negatives until I found out, I was actually blowing dust onto it. Inside the bulb, either dust accumulates or latex particles out but by act of using it to blow air on film, it was depositing its own dust. Very fine anti-static brush is the best tool I found so far.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Well the film cleaners evaporate pretty quickly off the pec pads, so a small inversion to wet them holds up quite nicely.

Sorry for the late reply but, I have never used spray on cleaner either. Like pgomena said its probably best to spray it on a pad before you wipe.

tkamiya, you must be sure that the microfiber wipe is absolutely clean or you can scratch your negatives with enough force. the cleaners are good to remove stains on negatives, like oily fingerprints (i get those a lot from kids mishandling them) or improper drying (too much photoflo streaks/water marks).

Ive never really had that much of a problem with static, but I bet those antistatic brushes would be good, they are ridiculously expensive!

 

[Diapositivo]

Thanks. I'm going to try the antistatic brush which I used to pass on vinyl records. I suppose that's what you mean. The thing with very many black "hairs". I don't know if this is going to remain antistatic "forever" or if I have to pass some antistatic substance on it.

Microfiber cloths are suspicious as they cannot be used to clean a lens, they scratch the coating. If it ain't no good for a lens, it ain't no good for a film.

I discovered there is an antistatic product that I can add to the final rinse. I don't know how much would its effect last, but at least it should carry no additional risk. I might order it with my next order of chemical products.

Thanks
Fabrizio