8mm Cleaning options

[Chris Smart]

Hello!

I found some 8mm films of my mom dating back to the 1940's but they have some serious dirt on them. I picked up some PEC PAD's but now I need a cleaning solution but i'm reading that PEC-12 produces very noxious fumes and some have said the PEC PADs don't work well with 8mm for some reason.

Does anyone have any recommendations on cleaning 8mm by hand? Any experience with the PEC PAD's?

I'm sure this has been discussed in the past on this forum but my searches didn't find anything, only the Film-O-Clean devise.

Thanks!

[Douglas Meltzer]

Chris,

I use the cleaner/lubricant FilmGuard. If you do a search both here and in the Forum Archive (The link is near the top of the page) you'll find many threads on the subject. I have never used PEC Pads, only lint free cloth.

Doug

[Chris Smart]

Thanks Douglas!

FilmGuard definitely seems like the favorite around here.

[Paul Adsett]

I've been using ArmorAll Protectant Wipes for many years. They do a good job of cleaning and lubricating the film and they are non-toxic. Just use them sparingly so you do not soak the film too much.

[Maurice Leakey]

Chris
I always use Isopropyl Alcohol to clean films.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Isopropyl-Ru...MAAOSwyfNevZni


Maurice

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

To be reminded that FilmGuard will not only clean, but lubricate the film too.
Considering the age and condition of the film itself, this might be actually a good thing for your films.

[Lee Mannering]

If you just want to clean films use Isopropanol as Maurice ex projectionist recommends.
50 years a 8mm film maker hear and we always cleaned our films with it.

50 years later we've seen all manner of cleaner, lubricants and this will make your films scratch free over the years.

A good friend gifted me a little FilmGuard and applied very liberally it delivers results and thus I am hooked. BUT do not saturate your sound films in it as you will latterly have lots of sound problems. Keep application very light.

But if just cleaning Isopropanol applied on a lint free cloth.

[Dominique De Bast]

When I started to use Filmguard, I didn't know it was better to remove excess of the product by passing the film through a dry cloth when rewinding. I know there are (expensive) machines to apply cleaning products but I personnally prefer to use a classical manual rewinder pair.

[Shane C. Collins]

I agree Dominique a manual rewinder is the best way to clean 8mm films. I find this way one can control how fast or slow the film travels through the cleaner. I also use Filmguard on my Super 8 and Regular 8 films. I also found out the hard way by applying too much Filmguard, and not taking a second pass with a dry cloth. Once I started doing this it worked wonders. I have a film I applied Filmguard too a few years back and it's still looking good. Whenever I get my Super 8 films back from the processing lab I lube them right away. Well I do watch them first then add the lubricate/cleaner.

[Graham Sinden]

Interesting topic this.

I remember reading on the old Forum that you should never use Isopropyl Alcohol on Acetate films as it dries out the base which is why I stopped using it on my home movies. I have seen some other films (not mine) that have a warp to them and wondered if this is over application of Isopropyl Alcohol. Polyester films are fine for use but not Acetate, which is what most home movies are.

I would be interested to hear what other members use to clean their precious home movies.

Graham S

[Maurice Leakey]

I only use Isopropyl Alcohol once, and only if a newly bought film is dirty or has glue oozing out of old taped joins, and, of course, this only applies to 16mm films. I have never used it on Super 8, there never has been the need.

Regrettably, the climate of some countries (not the UK) does cause old 16mm films to warp, this will give take-up problems unless you twist the film as it enters the take-up spool. Also, Eiki/Elf projectors do not like warped films due the lack of a third sprocket. I only use a Bell & Howell in these circumstances.


Maurice

[Joe Taffis]

FilmGuard and PEC pads. The PEC pads were recommended to me by a fellow collector. They are far better than any other cleaning pads I've ever used

[Lee Mannering]

Bit of a problem there Grahame as we used Isopropanol for years/decades on acetate prior to magnetic film striping as well. I used to visit cine clubs late 70s onwards demonstrating the process. One member filmed me with hair in the 80s giving a presentation on magnetic striping. Good cine memories and a vintage watch of years gone by.
Incidentally. If anyone has a super 8 sound print of mu films Cinema in Miniature or Cinema of our time the originals were cleaned with Isopropanol prior to magnetic striping 30+ years ago and still pretty much as good as new here.

This is not a brag but I still cant believe I've been continuously filming with 8mm film stock for over 50 years now, 3 projects underway even yet and still magnetic striping although slowly using more of Movie Magnetic excellent Stereo striping service.

[Philip Hamilton]

For those of you doing the manual clean with FilmGuard - how is it best applied - what is your process?

[Douglas Meltzer]

Philip,

Please do a search using "FilmGuard" both in this site and in the Forum Archive (link above). Here's one to get you started.

Doug