Cleaning negatives before scanning

[MEPER]

Is this a good way to use isopropyl alcohol (>98%) for the cleaning?
https://howtoscan.ca/scanning-tips/clean-negatives-before-scan-alcohol.php

[David H. Hartman]

Where to buy 98% Isopropyl alcohol?

98% Isopropyl alcohol seems to be referring to Reagent Grade, anhydrous or absolute Isopropyl alcohol sold for school and chemistry lab use. This should help those looking for a supplier.

A pharmacy will offer 90% Isopropyl alcohol. The article didn't warn against 90% isopropyl alcohol but I will note that such is 10% distilled water and I would NOT use it as a substitute for reagent grade Isopropyl alcohol.

Dave

Thank you Chris Betson: spelling corrected above!.

[Gone]

Lol - I think you mean reagent grade!

[David H. Hartman]

Is this a good way to use isopropyl alcohol (>98%) for the cleaning?
https://howtoscan.ca/scanning-tips/clean-negatives-before-scan-alcohol.php

Thank you for the link!

Dave

[MEPER]

The isopropyl alcohol I can get locally is specified as 99% (have a couple of bottles as I use it for cleaning solder resin/flux of soldered PCBs).
In Denmark it is from shops called "Matas".

So I should be good here if the method works as described. I wondered if the emulsion side could take it.

Before consulting "google" I had the idea of putting the negatives in water with a bit of dishwasher soap and carefully clean it and then hang it up for drying as when the negatives was developed/processed.
Now I will try out the isopropyl method.....first.

[David H. Hartman]

The isopropyl alcohol I can get locally is specified as 99% (have a couple of bottles as I use it for cleaning solder resin/flux of soldered PCBs).
In Denmark it is from shops called "Matas".

So I should be good here if the method works as described. I wondered if the emulsion side could take it.

Before consulting "google" I had the idea of putting the negatives in water with a bit of dishwasher soap and carefully clean it and then hang it up for drying as when the negatives was developed/processed.
Now I will try out the isopropyl method.....first.

I strongly advise against rinsing color negatives (or any negatives) in dishwashing soap. Color negatives on the emotion side are sticky like fly paper when wet. I read the complete article and the advice is solid. Follow it to the letter.

I had such a distasted for handling wet color negatives that I had a local lab process my color negative and leave them uncut.

Again, I strongly advise following the negative cleaning instruction give in the article. Please don't use dishwashing soap.

DAve

[David H. Hartman]

"I wondered if the emulsion side could take it." ?

I recommend using the utmost tiny amount of alcohol on the cloth. I'd wipe in only one direction and would not stop till the end. I'm reaching back in my memory decades. If I contradict the article follow the article. I'll have to read the article again but it all seems good. Printing was a business for me but it was mostly B&W.

I hope I'm being helpful.

Dave

[MEPER]

Yes, it was helpful.
I will only use isopropanol and be very careful.
The negatives I have in my mind are some old BW 120 roll films.
I need to cut them to be able to scan using the CS 9000. I have the glass adapter for this to keep the film flat.

[Ann]

I recall that Kodak once made a Negative-Cleaner solution (which was probably only Isopropyl alcohol anyway?)

Personally, I simply sleeved my negatives as soon as they were dry; and I handled them only by the edges so they didn't get messed up.

You couldn't buy pure alcohol in the UK at that time without a prescription — possibly because someone in government thought that the populace would drink it?!

On that note, I raise my glass to everyone with all good wishes for 2022.

[pluton]

The method described by the article is probably the best possible without resorting to old fashioned film cleaners that seem not to be sold anymore.
Is this the stuff you remember, Ann?

[David H. Hartman]

The method described by the article is probably the best possible without resorting to old fashioned film cleaners that seem not to be sold anymore.
Is this the stuff you remember, Ann?

That is the stuff I used as a last resort. It didn't smell like alcohol. The label in the photo tells what it is. I remember if too much was applied, to wet, it would leave a white film on the negative. As I recall I'd just clean the negative again being careful to use less.

Dave

[Hugh_3170]

I have used the same Kodak film cleaner successfully.  The whitish deposits if using too much are also what I encountered.  Ditto with the PEC brand film cleaner if using too much fluid - PEC was certainly available up until recently.

IIRC, the active ingredient used in the Kodak film cleaner is similar to that used by commercial dry cleaners.

EDIT: see here https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1109254-REG/pearson_education_pecbtl_pec_12_photographic_emulsion_cleaner.html

PEC also make lint free paper based PEC pads for applying the solution:  https://www.archivalmethods.com/product/pec-12-photo-cleaner

The method described by the article is probably the best possible without resorting to old fashioned film cleaners that seem not to be sold anymore.
Is this the stuff you remember, Ann?

[Thomas Nielsen]

Just a note of caution on the Kodak cleaner. Heptane is ordinary gasoline without the additives (I don't suppose you need anti-knock on film). However (!), 112-Trichloro-122-trifluoroethane is highly toxic (NIOSH) and should not be used without proper protection. It is normally used as a solvent. It was indeed used in dry cleaning but production stopped 25 years ago.

[Ann]

Yes, that Kodak bottle is exactly what I remember — and I am fairly sure that I still have an almost full bottle of it!

[David H. Hartman]

Now that I'm aware of the PEC-12 Photographic Emulsion Cleaner I think this might be my choice for a cleaning solution.

Dave