Using alcohol as a fast drying film cleaner.

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

Anyone try it?

Edwal is pretty high priced stuff compared to a quart of alcohol.

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

Just a few years back I bought a quart of Edwal for $40's. Now it is $70's and B&H wont ship due to restrictions. Another reason to look for a fast drying, film cleaner replacement.

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

My main concern is not in the film cleaning qualities of alcohol, but in the long-term effects it has on film. Some of these cleaners' stink to high hell. Beside $$, you feel like you are getting fumigated along with the film. So, I can't say commercial cleaners are just some benign chemicals that are being used and may not have any long-term effects on film. Alcohol seems the most benign.

If you want the deepest of hand-cleaning, then you use a slow drying cleaner, like Filmrenew. But sometimes you can get by with a fast cleaning of film that is not too filthy. The problem with a slow drying cleaner is it takes many, many passes on the rewind bench to dry the film. 

I know alcohol can clean film, no question about that, as I've used it a few times in the form of alcohol wipes. But only on a few inches of film at a time. Never have tried it on an entire reel. 

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‘The Birth of the Beatniks’ 1945

DDTJRAC

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Daniel D. Teoli Jr.