Help! Fingerpronted C-41 Negs!

[Bryce]

Howdy all-
A couple of weeks ago, I shot a roll of XP-2 and had it developed. This evening, I opened the package to take in the darkroom and get to work making enlargements from them and found... fingerprints.
A quick attempt to clean them with a chemical emulsion cleaner failed to hide them, it almost looks like the oil is swelling the emulsion.
Does anyone know how you'd rewash C-41 negs? Is this the same as traditional B+W films, or will I damage them trying that? Will fingerprints come out with just water and Photo-Flo?
This roll of film is irreplaceable; the site is a private mining claim, I had one time permission, and it's both a long drive and a hellish hike from here. Help!

 

[dmr]

I've used Delta-1 C-100 Total Emulsion Cleaner with fairly good results on some very nasty negatives.

Most of the time, filtered H2O or rubbing alcohol gets the prints off quite well.

 

[Bryce]

I tried the C100 stuff, that's all. You're sure the alcohol is safe? I've got waste negs I'll try it on first. Thank you very much!

 

[dmr]

I tried the C100 stuff, that's all. You're sure the alcohol is safe? I've got waste negs I'll try it on first. Thank you very much!

Actually, I asked here (I think it was here, it may have been APUG) before trying it.

I have quite a few negatives that I have not taken proper care of. 🙁 (yeah, yeah, I know ...) For the worst ones, first the Delta cleaner, then remove the residue with alcohol. Then scan and spot. The Delta cleaner has removed what I would call 20 year old fingerprints.

 

[phototone]

Sometimes the fingerprints have sort-of etched the emulsion. In this case, as well as with scratches on the film, they can be minimized on the print by coating the negative (color or b/w) with Edwal No Scratch, which actually fills in the abrasions and hills and valleys of the negative allowing you to print it. This is a thick liquid that comes in a tiny bottle with a brush, kinda like a fingernail polish bottle and brush. You paint it on both sides of the negative getting a good even "wet" coat, it is somewhat oily, and you put the "wet" negative in the carrier of the enlarger and make your enlargements as usual. Afterwards you clean the liquid off with any good zero-residue film cleaner and a lint free cotton glove or pec pad. You will also have to clean off the negative carrier. This technique will produce prints from negatives that otherwise would be useless. This stuff does not harm the negative, or swell the emulsion.