This is where science, art, myth and folklore seem to combine in unpredictable ways! Every film photographer has their method of washing film that they use and are happy to argue that everyone else is wrong...or that they are more right than the other. So if you have your method and it works then please stop reading and go teach someone else. If you are having some issues, I can explain what I do and why but before I jump into that let me explain why I have some authority over this topic!
What most people who discuss film washing fail to understand is that methods work based on your location. Humidity, dust, temperature and water quality will all have a large impact on the final results. My authority comes from the fact that I have moved internally 11 times in the last 20 years or so. Safe to say that I have seen temperature swings from cold London winters to summer time in Saudi Arabia. I have seen water quality from the crisp, clean waters of Perth Australia to the questionable liquid that came out of my tap in Jakarta Indonesia (by the way Indonesia has some wonderfully clean water depending where you live just not where I was living so PLEASE do not consider this a general rule or commentary on a country).
The Water:
I have measured the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) in my tap water in numerous different places. The problem is that TDS is a quantitative number that tells you the amount of solids in the water but not the type of solids. For example, ocean water and river water might have the same TDS but no one would argue they are the same. Obviously ocean water should have a greater percentage of salts dissolved in it. So while I measure TDS what I find is that "cleaner" water (lower TDS) does not mean less rinsing issues with film. But it can show a correlation with spotting. It is fun and the TDS sensor is not expensive so go for it!
As a guide, the EPA suggests that drinking water should have a TDS of 500 or less with 300 being the sweet spot for good tasting water. A very low TDS would lead to "flat" tasting water. This is why mineral water is popular...it has higher TDS and hence more of a satisfying feel. But here is a trick....distilled water should be at a TDS of 0. This is what I decided upon for consistency.
Now, distilled water is water that has been boiled off and then condensed back to a liquid phase. When water evaporates, only the water goes leaving the solids behind. So when you condense the water, you should have a TDS of 0. While in Indonesia I purchased a water distiller and would make my own. Now that I am in the US it is more energy efficient to purchase it from the grocery store where a gallon costs less than 2 dollars.
So, if you are seeing a great many streaks on your negatives, it is possible you have a very high TDS in your water. You can measure it and if you have something over 300 you may rest assured that this is the cause of your streaks.
The method I have used that works...in the cold, heat, dry and humid places, in lowlands, in highlands and everything in between.
Develop your film normally. To be clear, I mix my developer, stop and fix using distilled water. This eliminates any variability with water type going from one place to another. There is no need for you to do this unless you move around allot and are after some consistency.
Once my film has been developed I rinse using tap water. I use the Ilford technique which involves using less water. See it below straight from Ilford themselves.
What most people who discuss film washing fail to understand is that methods work based on your location. Humidity, dust, temperature and water quality will all have a large impact on the final results. My authority comes from the fact that I have moved internally 11 times in the last 20 years or so. Safe to say that I have seen temperature swings from cold London winters to summer time in Saudi Arabia. I have seen water quality from the crisp, clean waters of Perth Australia to the questionable liquid that came out of my tap in Jakarta Indonesia (by the way Indonesia has some wonderfully clean water depending where you live just not where I was living so PLEASE do not consider this a general rule or commentary on a country).
The Water:
I have measured the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) in my tap water in numerous different places. The problem is that TDS is a quantitative number that tells you the amount of solids in the water but not the type of solids. For example, ocean water and river water might have the same TDS but no one would argue they are the same. Obviously ocean water should have a greater percentage of salts dissolved in it. So while I measure TDS what I find is that "cleaner" water (lower TDS) does not mean less rinsing issues with film. But it can show a correlation with spotting. It is fun and the TDS sensor is not expensive so go for it!
As a guide, the EPA suggests that drinking water should have a TDS of 500 or less with 300 being the sweet spot for good tasting water. A very low TDS would lead to "flat" tasting water. This is why mineral water is popular...it has higher TDS and hence more of a satisfying feel. But here is a trick....distilled water should be at a TDS of 0. This is what I decided upon for consistency.
Now, distilled water is water that has been boiled off and then condensed back to a liquid phase. When water evaporates, only the water goes leaving the solids behind. So when you condense the water, you should have a TDS of 0. While in Indonesia I purchased a water distiller and would make my own. Now that I am in the US it is more energy efficient to purchase it from the grocery store where a gallon costs less than 2 dollars.
So, if you are seeing a great many streaks on your negatives, it is possible you have a very high TDS in your water. You can measure it and if you have something over 300 you may rest assured that this is the cause of your streaks.
The method I have used that works...in the cold, heat, dry and humid places, in lowlands, in highlands and everything in between.
Develop your film normally. To be clear, I mix my developer, stop and fix using distilled water. This eliminates any variability with water type going from one place to another. There is no need for you to do this unless you move around allot and are after some consistency.
Once my film has been developed I rinse using tap water. I use the Ilford technique which involves using less water. See it below straight from Ilford themselves.
The final step I switch from tap to distilled. But, and this was important in Indonesia, I first poor about 250ml of distilled water into the tank and wash it around and then dump it. I want to try to remove some the of TDS that is remaining in droplets on the tank walls and film. I then refill the tank (to cover the film) with the following mixture.
The Air:
To dry it I have used clothing bags, trash bags, shower and a shower curtain box. The goal is to keep dust away from it for the first few hours. Once dry, dust can settle on it but it is easy to remove. Dust that sits on the emulsion layer while it is wet will be problematic to clean, may require another full submersion bath and even then might not be completely clean. So keep your film away from dust but this starts from the bottom....you need a proper spring cleaning at least a day before you will develop. Don't kick up dust the day of development.
Remember to clean any AC or heating system you have. I had a new one installed in my darkroom and I keep the filters very clean. Anything your air travels through can introduce or remove dust.
My current darkroom is small, 10ft by 10 ft by 9 ft ceilings. I have an air ventilation system and have the room proper sealed so I was shocked to see how little dust I have. I dust the place every few months but I barely see any. I also do not struggle with dust on negatives, lenses or the carriers. But a simple option if you have a closed space is to run a air purifier for some time. If the air purifier says that it runs 100 CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) and my room is 10x10x9 = 900 CF (Cubic feet) then mathematically in 9 minutes it should filter out all my air....but....
The purifier will pull air near it and takes some time to circulate it all around. So I typically look to multiply this by three. So it would take 27 minutes for my air purifier to really make a mark. So I have an old air purifier (new filter) and run it while I am developing the film. By the time I am hanging the film up it has been about 30 minutes (includes prep time for the chemicals). I keep it running for one hour when I am done to help keep the environment clean.
My current darkroom does not need all of this but since I still have the equipment why not. My darkroom in London was an outside shed and it was a dust magnet so this was a critical learning. I also used a clothing hanger bag but found that after a few months it was infested with dust as well.
The Human:
The final precaution is your hands. I know that white gloves are all the rage but I find that they can leave little lint on the negatives. I have gotten used to washing my hands with soap and water, drying them well with a paper towel does the trick. This reduces finger prints while not costing you any grip.
Conclusion:
- 30ml of 90% alcohol
- 3 drops of wetting agent
- 970ml of distilled water
The Air:
To dry it I have used clothing bags, trash bags, shower and a shower curtain box. The goal is to keep dust away from it for the first few hours. Once dry, dust can settle on it but it is easy to remove. Dust that sits on the emulsion layer while it is wet will be problematic to clean, may require another full submersion bath and even then might not be completely clean. So keep your film away from dust but this starts from the bottom....you need a proper spring cleaning at least a day before you will develop. Don't kick up dust the day of development.
Remember to clean any AC or heating system you have. I had a new one installed in my darkroom and I keep the filters very clean. Anything your air travels through can introduce or remove dust.
My current darkroom is small, 10ft by 10 ft by 9 ft ceilings. I have an air ventilation system and have the room proper sealed so I was shocked to see how little dust I have. I dust the place every few months but I barely see any. I also do not struggle with dust on negatives, lenses or the carriers. But a simple option if you have a closed space is to run a air purifier for some time. If the air purifier says that it runs 100 CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) and my room is 10x10x9 = 900 CF (Cubic feet) then mathematically in 9 minutes it should filter out all my air....but....
The purifier will pull air near it and takes some time to circulate it all around. So I typically look to multiply this by three. So it would take 27 minutes for my air purifier to really make a mark. So I have an old air purifier (new filter) and run it while I am developing the film. By the time I am hanging the film up it has been about 30 minutes (includes prep time for the chemicals). I keep it running for one hour when I am done to help keep the environment clean.
My current darkroom does not need all of this but since I still have the equipment why not. My darkroom in London was an outside shed and it was a dust magnet so this was a critical learning. I also used a clothing hanger bag but found that after a few months it was infested with dust as well.
The Human:
The final precaution is your hands. I know that white gloves are all the rage but I find that they can leave little lint on the negatives. I have gotten used to washing my hands with soap and water, drying them well with a paper towel does the trick. This reduces finger prints while not costing you any grip.
Conclusion:
- Test your water to understand the TDS. Below 300 and you should not have too many streaks. Above this and you might need to consider distilled or at least filtered water.
- I find a final rinse of alcohol, wetting agent and distilled water does the trick.
- Dust is in the air, on the counter and all around. Give your space a proper clean the day before you are going to hang negatives. Run an air purifier for a little while before development. Hang the negatives up.
- Squeegee or not to squeegee that is a personal question. I have heard great arguments why you should not but have never had a personal issue with it.
