Techniques for negative washing and re-cleaning

[LocalHero1953]

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I recently developed 4 rolls of film (Delta 400 and Delta 3200) and 8 sheets of 4x5, and scanned them. I notice on just one roll some streaks in the scanned image, parallel to the film length; I can see them on the negative, and rubbing my finger on part of it the streaks can be removed. So it looks like a washing/drying issue - perhaps from hardness, but I'm not sure.

I use the Ilford washing sequence, with a final wash with a few drops of (several years old) Fotonal in the water, then hang the negatives from a string with pegs. Following a suggestion I have seen elsewhere, I fold a piece of light tissue across the strip (Kleenex-type) and gently run it down to remove the bulk of the water. My reasoning behind this is not to let water flow from top to bottom, drying as it goes (our water is hard), but remove the bulk of it first. I have not seen any scratches arising from this practice. With 4x5 sheets, I use the tissue just to dab the drop that collects at the bottom corner.

My main question is: what is the best way to rewash film after it has dried to remove such marks? Use a damp/wet tissue? Fully soak and wash the film again?

My other question is: has my washing/drying technique got flaws that are likely to cause such streaks?

 

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[GFW2-SCUSA]

Here is how I handled my film after the developing process.  After a good long wash  and a quick bath in PhotoFlo I'd hang the strip from the wire on a clip then using  two clean fingers as a squeeze I'd run them down the length of the film - lightly just to break the surface tension of the water, then leave them to dry.  I did much the same with sheet film.  I would never ever run a tissue or cloth down the film. Lint, impure particles and who knows what in the tissue could damage the emulsion. I avoided rubber squeegees for the same reason. 

As for re-washing I'd toss the film into a tray of pure water, leave it a minute, slosh it about at bit to the emulsion is wet then the PhotoFlo, fingers and hang it up to dry.  Water streaks are a nuisance, but not damaging. Grit of any kind is the enemy, also dust in the air, cat hairs, sneezing, etc. 

No doubt you will get many other methods to try. Mine worked for decades!  Hope this helps. 

[Doug A]

47 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

My main question is: what is the best way to rewash film after it has dried to remove such marks? Use a damp/wet tissue? Fully soak and wash the film again?

My other question is: has my washing/drying technique got flaws that are likely to cause such streaks?

My experience (having developed film in half a dozen locales) has been that hard water can increase the likelihood of streaks on my negatives. I would repeat the last step (20 inversions) of the Ilford process with distilled water and very gently wipe down both sides of the negatives with Kimwipes. Unlike regular tissues they do not leave any lint and will not scratch the negatives. 

[TomB_tx]

We also have very hard water, so I use water from our R.O. filter both for mixing solutions and for the rinse (also the Ilford method). Last is R.O. water dip with a couple drops of flo. I hang to dry and immediately use a rubber photo squeegee as I've done for 50 years. Scratching has never been a problem for me. I do carefully rinse the squeegee and shake off the excess and store upright in a beaker in a closed cabinet to avoid dust, etc. that could scratch.

I agree that is your case a rinse/soak in distilled water would be in order for these negatives. Clean distilled should dry without significant residue.

[250swb]

If all is correct you shouldn't need to wipe the film down and I would never ever do it myself. But not all wetting agents are equal given water quality. For example I had many problems with Fotospeed wetting agent and always thought it was my technique and dilution until I switched to Ilford Ilfotol and the problem streaks and uneven drying stopped immediately. I think you need to find a wetting agent that suits your water.

[graphlex]

Paterson makes a film squeegee. I would not use a tissue but perhaps a microfiber cloth. A darkroom supply or pro photo store would have treated paper for this use. 

Edited September 26, 2024 by graphlex

[hansvons]

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13 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I use the Ilford washing sequence, with a final wash with a few drops of (several years old) Fotonal in the water, then hang the negatives from a string with pegs. Following a suggestion I have seen elsewhere, I fold a piece of light tissue across the strip (Kleenex-type) and gently run it down to remove the bulk of the water. My reasoning behind this is not to let water flow from top to bottom, drying as it goes (our water is hard), but remove the bulk of it first. I have not seen any scratches arising from this practice. With 4x5 sheets, I use the tissue just to dab the drop that collects at the bottom corner.

I do it exactly like you. I never had issues until recently with one roll. Rewashing solved 80%. My tapwater is relatively soft. 

 

[LocalHero1953]

Thank you everyone - that's all very helpful.

Although this was just one roll out of four (and a good number before that), I will replace the wash aid first. I would rather not buy and store distilled water on a regular basis unless that is the only way, but will keep it in mind.

I will rewash the offending roll. It's already cut into strips, so I will use a tray (and I can shake most of the water off).

Edited September 26, 2024 by LocalHero1953

[Chuck Albertson]

I do a final rinse in PhotoFlo (mixed 1:200, like it says on the bottle) mixed with distilled water (bought by the gallon from the quickly-disappearing neighborhood drugstore) to avoid problems with the local water supply, and hang the film up to dry for several hours. No squeegeeing or wiping. Water spots on dried negs are rare, but I sort them out with liberal application of Universal Solvent (saliva).

[Susie]

Hi Paul,

Living not far from you I also suffer from the hard water.  As a result I always use distilled water (from the de-humidifiers in our old house!) for mixing chemicals and also for the final rinse.  I use the Ilford washing sequence.

Susie

[PCPix]

Two drops of dishwashing liquid (green Fairy liquid or similar) in the final wash, swish it about and leave for half a minute… then ‘squeegee’ between two fingers (as per post #2 above) - this has been my method for forty years. If your wine glasses come up clean and streak-free, so will your negs…

[George Collier]

I scanned some very old negatives from a friend that had become surprisingly dirty, reason unknown. My unscientific attempt worked well. It seems radical so I'll post it, interested in what others think.

I went to a drug store and bought a gallon of pure (anydrous, whatever, but 99+%) isopropyl alchohol- I had to order it. I mixed it half and half with distilled water in a tray. Mostly 4x5, I just softly massaged the negs in the bath with my hands, then hung up to dry. They dried very quickly and were as clean as I could have gotten them. I didn't see a down side. Rubbing alcohol (with the additive to keep folks from drinking it) might have worked, but I didn't try it.