8mm Forum: Cleaning film

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Topic: Cleaning film

Ronald Green
Film Handler

Posts: 53
From: Delray Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2016

posted November 13, 2016 08:07 PM

What is the best way of clean your film? Is there a better solution that other ones. I have the film-craft professional rags.
They are a little dirty. When do you know when to replace them.
Your expertise in this is deeply appreciated.

Someone once told me to use Isopopal alcohol. Does that sound right? Just usingt he rags now.

Thanks for sharing.

Ron

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted November 14, 2016 02:56 AM

Ron

I use Isopropyl Alcohol with a clean lint free cloth gently soaked and folded over the film which is slowly moved between spools on a rewind. Slowly to allow liquid to dry on the film surface before its next turn on the spool.

The cloth should be inspected at regular intervals and re-soaked on a clean part of the cloth and reapplied over the film.

Use only in a well ventilated room.

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Maurice

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

posted November 14, 2016 02:58 AM

Ok for 16mm films Ronald but not necessarily for striped Super 8mm ones if you use any of those also. [Wink]

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Dave Groves
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 508
From: Southend on Sea, Essex, UK
Registered: Feb 2015

posted November 14, 2016 05:02 AM

I'm inclined to go for a good film cleaner which helps to lubricate the film, but I'm not one for doing it too often or at all if the film really doesn't need it. I cleaned one (which had a protective coating applied) and it made holes in the coating and spread the dirt down the film which then became impossible to remove. I'm much more careful now before doing what I did without even thinking before.

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Dave

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Nigel Higgins
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 543
From: Saffron walden.united kingdom
Registered: Jun 2014

posted November 14, 2016 12:00 PM

I always use a good film cleaner- film guard etc ,and a cloth similar to that used to clean glasses very cheap to buy on line i always throw the cloth away after cleaning a film ,and you might want to get some disposable gloves as well ,just the way i do it . also like dave says only clean films that realy need it .

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

posted November 14, 2016 09:17 PM

I use Filmguard with cheap as chips Micro fibre cloths. 4 for a pound sometimes at poundland shops.
They work perfectly well ive found with zero drawbacks.
You can use every bit of the cloths front and back before disposing them, cleaning dozens of films ive found, to a very high standard.☺

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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William Olson
Master Film Handler

Posts: 287
From: Poughkeepsie, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2010

posted November 16, 2016 12:32 PM

I don't think isopropyl alcohol is a good idea. I have tried it and it tends to dry out the film.

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

posted November 16, 2016 03:43 PM

Great cleaner of film with no stripe, no lubricating qualities whatsoever, quite the opposite in fact!

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Ross Gibbs
Junior
Posts: 26
From: Blue Mountains, Australia
Registered: Mar 2012

posted November 22, 2016 03:53 AM

Film Guard FTW! I used for years as a cinema projectionist, and continue using it on all my hobby 16 and 35.

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“He felt all at once like an ineffectual moth, fluttering at the windowpane of reality, dimly seeing it from outside.”
― Philip K. Dick, Ubik

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Ronald Green
Film Handler

Posts: 53
From: Delray Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2016

posted November 24, 2016 09:20 PM

Thanks Guys,

Really appreciate all the advice.

Best Regards,

Ron

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Edwin van Eck
Master Film Handler

Posts: 312
From: Tilburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2015

posted January 31, 2018 08:58 AM

I have done a lot of experimenting with different type of cleaning methods.

I have posted the results in my blog.
See: https://www.van-eck.net/itable.php?lang=en&size=&cat=info&merk=255&type=Films

I would definitely not recommend to use alcohol or water!

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Edwin van Eck
Van Eck Video Services

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