How to Clean Your Stained Negatives

When looking at a dry negative, you may find some water marks or fixer residue lines. But there’s no need to despair. There are simple ways to clean the negatives without ruining your photos, and without spending hours digitally removing the imperfections. All you need to do is first assess what kind of marks you are dealing with and then proceed to clean each spot in the best way possible.

Let's Talk About Water Stains

Water stains are caused by droplets drying on the shiny side of the film surface. In many cities, tap water is quite hard, so when we use it to wash our films, we are more likely to encounter this problem. Hard water has a high mineral content, and during the drying stage when the water evaporates, those minerals will deposit onto the film surface and in some cases be visible on our scans.

Working on the shiny side of the negatives is less dangerous than working on the emulsion side where there is always the risk of damaging the negatives by scratching the silver grains. Make sure to remove dust from the negatives with a pump on each side before proceeding with any intervention.

What you need

• Light board
• Microfiber cloth
• Isopropyl rubbing alcohol
• Distilled water
• Pump
• Cotton gloves
• Magnifier
• Developing tank and reel
• Pipette
• Photoflo

Set up a light panel that will help you see through the negatives. Hard water stains appear to leave a round mark. When the stains are on the polyester side of the film, we can use a solution of Isopropyl rubbing alcohol or you can dampen your microfiber cloth with distilled water to gently remove the water stain. Also use the light board to check if there are any scratches after cleaning.

Use the pump to blow the dirt away; take a microfiber cloth (the kind that comes with sunglasses) and wipe the wet negative by applying soft pressure to avoid scratching the emulsion side. Now, you should have successfully removed the water spots. This is also a good way to remove any visible fingerprints.

But What About Fixer Stains?

Unwashed fixer marks have a less regular shape. If we don't wash the film properly, the fixer will leave uneven lines. They can appear almost like a wave of white marks. If the emulsion side of the negative comes back stained, we need to carefully wash it again. Many people argue against washing the negative a second time, but this is a valid solution to recover the negative.

If you are going to work on the emulsion side, be aware that it is always a gamble, and we take the risk of ruining the photo. It is wise to scan your images as they are before attempting to touch up your negative. At least this way you have digital backup in case the worst happens.

To re-wash, use distilled water and some PhotoFlo solution (or dishwasher detergent in an emergency case). The best way is to use a small amount of PhotoFlo because using too much can cause the same problem and leave stains on your negatives. Measure 1 or 2 ml with a pipette to mix and that should be enough.

Now wash for 2 minutes. Fill the tank and start agitating for about 1 minute. Empty, and fill it up again, this time without the PhotoFlo and leave it in the tank. Empty the tank and give a strong wipe to remove the excess water. Place the negative to dry in a clean environment.

The best advice we can give is to always wash your negatives with distilled water right after development in order to avoid stains. It is better to get a clean negative right away than spend time rewashing over and over.

What do you do to clean your negatives when you find water marks? Share your tips in the comments below.

written by eparrino on 2024-01-04 #tutorials #videos #diy #analogue #tipster #water-marks #clean-negatives #photoflo #fixer-residue-lines