8mm Forum: Cleaning film

This is topic Cleaning film in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Ronald Green (Member # 5655) on 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

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on 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.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on 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]

Posted by Dave Groves (Member # 4685) on 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.

Posted by Nigel Higgins (Member # 4312) on 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 .

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on 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.☺

Posted by William Olson (Member # 2083) on 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.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on November 16, 2016, 03:43 PM:

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

Posted by Ross Gibbs (Member # 2967) on 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.

Posted by Ronald Green (Member # 5655) on November 24, 2016, 09:20 PM:

Thanks Guys,

Really appreciate all the advice.

Best Regards,

Ron

Posted by Edwin van Eck (Member # 4690) on 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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