Kodachrome cleaning

<p>I've got a couple of old Kodachromes that have a fair bit of grunge on them. It looks like it's just dirt/dust, hard to tell. Will the slides be safe if I clean them the same way as my usual E6 process? Just a rinse and a quick soak in dilute PhotoFlo. <br>

Cheers,<br>

Aaron</p>

<p>The old standard is Edwal "Anti-Stat Film Cleaner". Use as directed.</p>

<p>Some older Kodachromes may have a lacquer that will be removed as well, making the job a little more extensive. If the grunge is fungal, you'd better not store them with other slides, even after cleaning.</p>

<p>Not to butt in. But for the sake of not only me but the original poster and any others reading this, how does PEC-12 compare in terms of safety and effectiveness?</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>Safety and effectiveness for what? The technician, the film? No cleaner is totally safe for film. Effectiveness is determined by what you are attempting to remove. Fingerprints and dried coffee with cream require different cleaners if both are on fragile items.</p>

<p>Well, quite a few years ago, Kodak film cleaner was hexane. A search for pec12 and msds reveals the contents. Oh look, methanol and n-butyl acetate. Ok, don't consume the methanol part, but you can enjoy the n-butyl acetate in apples. :)</p>

<p>Most good film cleaners were/are some type of volatile hydrocarbon solvent. I don't thing there are any 100% safe for the film solvents. After all, film is a gelatin coating with silver or dyes bonded to a plastic base.</p>

<p>In other words, know what you are cleaning, have a good idea of what you are removing and know what you are using to remove the contaminants.</p>

 

<p>I'm pretty sure there isn't any fungus, they're just dirty. I've never handled Kodachromes before and so don't know how they would react to a simple wash and rinse. They won't bloat or do something different than washing E6 will they? </p>