Washing and drying film

Washing removes the chemistry left in the film after processing. Anything left behind causes stains and fading, which show up in every scan and print you make afterwards.

Washing black & white film

Wash black & white film straight after the fixer. Either of these methods works.

Ilford method

The Ilford washing method conserves water while removing residual chemicals effectively. It works with fixers that contain no hardener, which covers most you can buy today.

1. Fill the tank with clean water at around 20°C.
2. Invert the tank 5 times and empty.
3. Refill the tank with fresh water, invert 10 times, and empty again.
4. For the final rinse, refill the tank and invert 20 times.

For more information, refer to Ilford's washing guide.

Running water

Place the tank under gently running water for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep the flow gentle, as a strong flow can wash the film unevenly.

The final rinse

Add wetting agent, such as Ilford Ilfotol or Kodak Photo-Flo, to the last fill of water, at the strength on the bottle. Leave the film in it for 30 seconds to a minute without shaking, so it does not foam.

Washing colour film

For C-41, wash after the fixer or blix, and before the stabiliser.

• Blix kits: wash for at least 3 to 5 minutes in running water.
• Separate bleach and fix: follow your kit's sheet. Most ask for 6 to 8 changes of water.

Do not wash after the stabiliser. It is the last step, and the film goes straight up to dry.

Drying film

Hang the film up as soon as it is washed, somewhere dust cannot settle on it.

Hanging your film

• Hang the film with film clips somewhere with still air. A bathroom after a hot shower works well, because the steam settles the dust.
• Clip a second clip to the bottom of each strip, so it hangs straight.
• The emulsion is the duller side. It is soft while wet and scratches easily, so touch only the edges.
• Leave it until it is completely dry, usually 2 to 3 hours.

Film drying cabinet

A film drying cabinet dries film in warm, filtered air. It is quicker than hanging and keeps dust off the wet emulsion. You do not need one to start.

If the dry film has marks

• Round drying marks or water spots: minerals left as the water dried. Use wetting agent in the final rinse. Marks on the shiny side can be wiped off gently.
• Streaks or stains: the film was not washed for long enough. Wash it again and re-dry.
• A crazed, crackled texture: reticulation, from a sudden jump in temperature. Keep every bath and wash within a few degrees of each other.
• Dust dried into the image: it settled while the film was wet and cannot be removed. Dry film somewhere still and clean.

When the film is dry, cut it into strips and store it in negative sleeves. See cutting and storing negatives.