cleaning old photos

sportysnaps

sportysnaps

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1,309
Name
martin
Edit My Images
No
I have some old prints in gloss and matt (10-15 years old) that I have got very dusty - I want to clean the muck off without risking damage as they can’t be replaced. I was thinking of just blowing off the dust (this does not make them clean enough) then washing in plain water - is this a safe method – if not what can I use?
 
NO
I tried it once
the emulsion peeled off and went straight down the sink!
 
If you have any less precious prints from the same batch(es), try cleaning them with water and see how they react. 10-15 years ago, processing was still done "wet" so the prints may well be water safe. If you don't have any prints that you feel you can sacrifice (if it turns out that the paper isn't water-safe), maybe you could trim a few mm off the side/top/bottom of a couple to use as test strips?
 
NO
I tried it once
the emulsion peeled off and went straight down the sink!
Click to expand...
this is what I'm worried about

If you have any less precious prints from the same batch(es), try cleaning them with water and see how they react. 10-15 years ago, processing was still done "wet" so the prints may well be water safe. If you don't have any prints that you feel you can sacrifice (if it turns out that the paper isn't water-safe), maybe you could trim a few mm off the side/top/bottom of a couple to use as test strips?
Click to expand...

this is a good idea, but i would need to do that for all the photos in the collections as they were all taken with different cameras and prints as they are photos of me doing marathon, triathlons and cycle races...

You could try scanning them, then cleaning them up in photoshop and then have them reprinted. Then you'd have both clean and "immortalised" photos :-)
Click to expand...

yes this could help{thanks} - but would infringe the copyright of the photographer, i don't have a scanner and although i can clone out spots and marks the thick layer of dust would be a problem to "shop"

thanks for the replies, :thumbs::thumbs: anybody else with any suggestions?:shrug: - please?
 
It is difficult to tell...
Sometimes the emulsion can go powdery and washes off.
I washed some of mine that I took in the late 40's with out any trouble at all.
You don't seem to get any warning.

If they were mine I would scan them as they are. For insurance....

Then take the risk and wipe the edge with a damp cotton bud. if there was no problem I would go ahead and damp wipe them.
If there was still no problem I would give them a light wash in cold water using a soft make up brush.
I would let them dry on a flat surface very slowly.

I would not expect problems with prints only 10 to 15 years old if they had been kept in the dry.
 
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