YIKES! How to best clean dusty negatives?

[John Kasaian]

I just found a half dozen 8x10 negatives in the store room that were accidentally left out unprotected, and now are covered with fine dust.
How would you recommend cleaning them before I put them in negative protectors?
Thanks!

[Drew Wiley]

I take my Persian cat and rub him onto a rubber balloon, then carry him by the tail into the darkroom. Then I rub him on the film, and the static charge pulls the dust
away from the film itself. Afterwards I put the cat in the washing machine. I loan him my wife's little digital underwater camera, so his time in the suds will be more
enjoyable.

[Mark Woods]

I'd put them in holders & rewash them in your negative washer with running water. If there are stubborn areas that don't want to come clean, put the neg under the water faucet directly. I'd treat them like just processed film.

[Michael Clark]

If its dust thats just sitting on the emulsion and not embedded seems like a can of canned air or hand air squeezer and a soft camel hair brush would be a good start.

[Daniel Stone]

I'd wash/soak a little bit, then photo-flo and dry again.

[jonreid]

Definitely try Drew's method first, you don't want to waste time, air or water with the other methods until you've tried it. And your wife will thank you for washing her pussy.

[jp]

If you don't have a persian cat, many taxidermy subjects work well as they collect dust very nicely.

[Michael Cienfuegos]

My Persian kitty would not be too happy with the tail dragging and the washing machine. She DOES, however, make a great dust mop for behind furniture.

[Rayt]

Can't you pour milk on the neg and let the cat lick it off?

[Michael_4514]

I'd wash/soak a little bit, then photo-flo and dry again.

I found myself in exactly this situation a few weeks ago and I did exactly when Dan suggests. Worked fine.

[Michael Cienfuegos]

Can't you pour milk on the neg and let the cat lick it off?

Have you ever looked at a cat's tongue? She could lick the emulsion right off the negative, no problem. :p


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[John Kasaian]

Well it's our watering day so this evening so I fired up my print washer on the front lawn and added the dusty negatives. After while the went into a tray with some Photo flo and hung up to dry. So far, so good! I'm allergic to cats anyway.