Cleaning film hangers ?

[Ginette]

I'm curious about how you clean your film hangers ... if you do !

I bought some and they are almost black.
I try SOS pad on one hanger and it work to remove the black stuff without too much effort but the inner tracks will be harder to clean.
Any soaking product can automatically clean them ? EASY-OFF Oven Cleaner?

[bobwysiwyg]

Easy-Off can be pretty harsh if you are not careful. You might try TSP (can be found a paint stores) or if you have it there, Simple Green, in a fairly strong solution say 30-50%. It cleans carburetors, so it should work in this application if it is just accumulated grime. It comes in handy for general cleaning as well in lesser solution strengths.

[Toyon]

Buy some Delta stainless steel film clips (B&H). They are simple, small, clean easily and don't leave dimples in the film. Much better than other clips that I have used. Forget cleaning plastic as it is likely to leave a new residue that could damage the film.

[Tom Monego]

Try soaking them in film strength fixer, if that doesn't work try E-6 bleach. They maybe just old.

Tom

[Ron McElroy]

Assuming you are cleaning stainless steel sheet film hanger, don't use an SOS or any other steel pad. This can cause rusting of the stainless steel. Green scotchbrite pads and elbow grease work for me. And yes the insides are difficult to clean.

[Ginette]

Thanks for yours suggestions.
Previous owner have try diluted fixer ans dishwasher.
Actually the overall black surface is not stable, when I rub gently, my fingers get residues like graphite pencil.
I will continue to experiment on the hanger I scrub partially with SOS pad.
Will try :
- EasyOff, supposed to be safe for stainless steel (if it don't have aluminium into)
- TSP (I think I have some at home)
- any other suggestions like the Simple Green (look like we don't have it in Canada).
- scotchbrite, maybe but I have ten 8x10 hangers like that.

[Robert Hughes]

Sometimes vinegar is used to help clear scum and calcium deposits. As long as your hangers aren't aluminum, vinegar shouldn't hurt them.

[Ginette]

Vinegar, another product to try.

I forgot to tell about, hangers have this inscription :

EASTMAN PORTRAIT FILM DEVELOPING HANGER NO.4
PATENTED IN U.S.A. MAR.5.1912 DEC.21.1920 NOV.29.1921 NO 1,583,708

[Jim Michael]

To clean racks in processors we used Lysol bathroom tile cleaner, which I think has phosphoric acid. Took the gunk right off.

[Ginette]

To clean racks in processors we used Lysol bathroom tile cleaner, which I think has phosphoric acid. Took the gunk right off.

In spray, with no dilution ? You spray, let it work some time and rinse ?

[Jim Michael]

We used it straight, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse. The racks were stainless steel with plastic and nylon rollers IIRC. Another lab had an ultrasonic cleaning tank, but I don't recall the cleaning liquid we used there. It did a nice job.

[Gene McCluney]

Are you concerned that the stains on the stainless steel film hangers will affect the processing of the film? I doubt it. I have been processing sheet film (color and b/w) on hangers for about 35 years, and have never done a "cleaning" of my hangers, other than rinsing them off after the last step. Some of the hangers have the dark stains on them, but there is no effect to the processing.

[Ginette]

Are you concerned that the stains on the stainless steel film hangers will affect the processing of the film? I doubt it. I have been processing sheet film (color and b/w) on hangers for about 35 years, and have never done a "cleaning" of my hangers, other than rinsing them off after the last step. Some of the hangers have the dark stains on them, but there is no effect to the processing.

It is not really stain but mostly black and when I touch them I have back residues on my fingers so I don't think films will like it.
Here a photo

[W K Longcor]

Gene is correct - it really should not cause any problem. The black is probably silver residue. If it bothers you, wipe off the "loose" stuff wit a soft rag. What stays behind will cause no problems. For a real cleaning, an old timer once introduced me to "saniflush" toilet cleaner. Mix up a solution of this stuff and soak the equipment in it, then rinse twice. We used to use this stuff in a large roller transport processing machine. It cleaned everything well - tanks, rollers, pumps -etc. Being that it is not acid, there was no problem with the rollers in the developer tank ---and it leaves the darkroom smelling fresh!

[Jim Michael]

The black could be silver but I'm inclined to think it's organic - "It's ALIVE!!!" -- maybe some algae? Do you have a microscope?

[Ginette]

The black could be silver but I'm inclined to think it's organic - "It's ALIVE!!!" -- maybe some algae? Do you have a microscope?

Worst to worst !!
No microscope, do you wish to have a sample :D

I thick silver deposit should not as powdered as it is? As I'm wrong? I have really black residues when I pass my fingers over it.

I tried EasyOff (1 day soak), it didn't come off. Need to scrub it, with green Scotchbrite, it's really hard to remove, need to use SOS pad which already work alone.

I try vinegar, nothing happen.

I just try toilet cleaner, I use the liquid one, undiluted, on 3 inches for 1 hour, it removed about 25% of the black deposit.

[PBrooks]

Would it be out of the question to put them in really hot water with 5 or 6 efferdent tablets. Let them soak and then brush them with a nylon stiff brush in same solution. The wash them in clean water.

[Gene McCluney]

If the stains are a result of developing, then you are probably OK to use them without getting them shiney-bright. If the stains are a result of some other atmospheric event the hangers were exposed to (such as smoke or soot from a fire) then it would be good to clean them. In any case, you are probably OK with just cleaning enough to remove all the easily removable residue.

[Nathan Potter]

Depends on what the residue is. Sort of looks like it may be organic. If organic try bleach (Clorox straight). If access to sulfuric acid try it as a soak.

If it's a sort of loose metal oxide or other unknown metallic deposit we used to use a piranha etch ( half sulfuric acid, half hydrogen peroxide mix). Piranha is dangerous stuff - it is very hot mixed when it is highly active. I assume the hangers are stainless steel and the piranha will etch the stainless slowly leaving it a satin finish.

For consumer cleaners you might try a coffee pot cleaner which is useful for organic stains.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[John T]

I use Clayton Titan Blue Photo System Cleaner. It was made to clean stainless steel black and white processing equipment.

[J_Tardiff]

I use Bar Keepers Friend and scotch brite pads on mine-- some were in bad shape before I started.

JT

[Ginette]

Depends on what the residue is. Sort of looks like it may be organic. If organic try bleach (Clorox straight). If access to sulfuric acid try it as a soak.

If it's a sort of loose metal oxide or other unknown metallic deposit we used to use a piranha etch ( half sulfuric acid, half hydrogen peroxide mix). Piranha is dangerous stuff - it is very hot mixed when it is highly active. I assume the hangers are stainless steel and the piranha will etch the stainless slowly leaving it a satin finish.


Yes it react to bleach. I dip a corner in pure bleach about 1 hour but a part only of the black residues dissolve.
Instead of your dangerous chemical stuff I decide to get rid of this black crust by sandblasting them (with a small tool). As they are satin finish, I also repolish.
Half of the batch have a very nice head in brass.
I will see if they will rust in the future and post about. I will use them only for washing film.