Cleaning of equipment (tanks, scales, etc.)

PM1962 · 2007-01-21T15:07:13+00:00

Hallo Peter, elementares Silber geht mit Gebieten kaum raus. Lass es drin, es stört nicht. Wenn Du die Glasflaschen doch wieder porentief rein haben willst...

PM1962

Hello everyone! How do you clean your photographic equipment (tanks, measuring cups, etc.)? I’ve got some Photofinish – it’s a green paste that you apply and then wipe off. It’s okay, but it’s tricky to get into tight spaces like measuring cups and some tank lids. Corega Tabs are always recommended as a secret tip. However, I’m concerned about whether it’s really neutral. Many thanks for your advice and opinions! Regards, PM

SCKStef

Hello! I think there was something from Agfa... I use a cleaner for X-ray film processors myself; before that, I used Diluclean, but I think that’s only meant for RA4... I’ve also found a ‘formula’ from Kodak online, but you’d probably be better off Googling it :D I get the cleaner for X-ray film processors from my dentist... it’s either from Dörr or from the company Orochemie. As the packs are for 10 litres of solution and the processor only holds 2 x 3 litres, I always end up with packs with residual quantities. Why not ask your dentist? :) Best regards, Stöhane

piu58

A simple solution: add a spoonful of washing-up liquid, pour hot water over it, and leave it to soak overnight.

PM1962

Hi Uwe! Isn't washing-up liquid a bit too harsh??? Regards PM

SCKStef

Hi there!

Isn’t washing-up liquid a bit too harsh???

It should only be a spoonful... and the plastic parts are pretty sturdy; they tend to have more of a problem with heat... I tried the cleaner too, but I couldn’t get the developer residue and Fix off... but as I said before, ask your dentist... Regards, Stähane.

cfb_de

Hi, A cheap alternative to a descaler. Pour cold water over it and leave it overnight. Wipe it down, rinse it off, and you’re done. Whatever’s left in there won’t cause any problems. We’re all running a photo lab, not an operating theatre. Anyone who insists on spotlessly clean equipment should go and buy stainless steel bowls and scrub themselves to death with them. Specialised lab cleaners (which are nothing more than gelatin removers: supposedly containing complexing agents to break down gelatin residues) are, in my humble opinion, unnecessary. Even a well-run organic chemistry lab doesn’t look ‘clean’ (otherwise no one would work there) and contains certain amounts of catalytic residue. Just like with St Ansel: cold water was enough for him to rinse out the bowls every few weeks (!). Best regards, Franz

PeterVolkmar

Hello, So far, I’ve been cleaning my equipment with hot water with reasonable success, but I’m having trouble with bottles that used to contain fixer and where silver has built up on the sides (i.e. they’re black). Does this need to be completely removed, and if so, can I use Corega for this? Regards, Peter

cfb_de

Hi Peter, Elemental silver hardly comes off with wiping. Leave it in; it won’t cause any problems. If you do want to get the glass bottles spotlessly clean again: use diluted nitric acid (around 10%) and gloves (!). I strongly advise against doing this with plastic containers! Best regards, Franz

Heiko

Hello Franz,

Just like Ansel: cold water was enough for him to rinse the trays every few weeks (!).

Where did you get that information from? In "The Print", Ansel Adams recommends rinsing the trays thoroughly with hot water after every use. Regards, Heiko

cfb_de

Hi Heiko, I read that in one of his interviews. But I also rinse mine out with hot water after every use. Best regards, Franz

Heiko

Hi Franz, OK, so I suppose I’m somewhere in the middle between what Adams recommended and what he did himself: I rinse it thoroughly after every use, though with cold water, as I don’t have a hot water supply near the Duka (but maybe I’ll fit a instant water heater at some point). In any case, everything has come out clean enough so far. Best regards, Heiko

PeterVolkmar

Elemental silver hardly ever leaves the area. I'll leave it in; it doesn't cause any problems.

Thanks for the info, Franz. I was worried that it might mess up the new fix, but of course I’ll leave it in then! Regards, Peter

uliphoto

I used to get RA $ quite clean using washing-up liquid (Ariel and the like). The only way to get the washing-up liquid residue out of the machine is to rinse it out!