How to clean negatives

[mszargar]

How do you do it?

I do not do wet mount, and I do not use glass mounts, just simple scanning. What is the best way of ensuring that I have clean negatives before launching the archival raw scan process?

 

[L Collins]

1. Make sure your negatives are clean to start with. If they have water spots or fingerprints or gunk, clean them with PEC-12 and a cotton swab.
2. Once clean, brush them with an anti-static brush BEFORE you put them in the negative carrier.

 

[mszargar]

So it is called PEC-12! That is what I was looking for... Great! Thanks.

 

[Pioneer]

Evicting the cat before you start helps as well.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Has anyone tried the PEC-PAD Photowipes? Unfortunately, the price for this stuff is more or less double in the UK but I have plenty of negs I'd like to scan, without the "pleasure" of retouching each file.

 

[Takkun]

Also, PEC-pads or Kim-wipes work wonders. I will wipe down the non-emulsion side first (that's usually the only side that has residue from drying) and go over the emulsion if necessary. I also use a rocket blower, but I'm thinking a brush might be a better idea.

And yes, I definitely have to keep the cat away from my workspace. She's once launche herself headlong into the scanner before.

 

[Dwig]

Also:

• DO NOT attempt to clean a mounted slide with any liquid or any type of wipe. You'll only push the grime to the edges. Unmount the slide and clean the "naked" film.
  
• Use cotton gloves to handle the film or be extremely careful to handle it only by the sprocketed edges. If no wide sprocket edges (e.g. 120, ...) only use gloves.
  
• Don't expect any cleaning method to be perfect. Expect to do some cleaning of the scanned image.

 

[Ronald M]

Be sure to dissolve out the formaldehyde stabilizer from the last step of e1 to E6 , C22 & C41.

That way the negative will fade and you will never have to redo the project.

I recommend a brush or blower + retouch