Cleaning Stamps!

[andrebcox]

Hello Stampers!

I just noticed something that might interest stampers. I'm testing some inks right now and I have been cleaning the stamps using baby wipes.

I've been stamping and then studying the line quality using a jeweler's loupe. I kept noticing little hairs adding extra artifacts to the stamped image. I was wondering where they were coming from. I thought they were coming from the inkpad - but have discovered that they are coming from the baby wipes. Perhaps others have discovered this and written about it in the past. I have never seen anyone mention it before. I think it's something stampers should be aware of.

Additionally, I noticed that a paper towel covers the stamp with fibers too. Another source of stray fibers is the stamp scrubber. Then I discovered that with a new stamp scrubber you should wash it and scrub it initially when you first take it out of the package to get rid of any loose fibers left over from cutting and manufacturing of the scrubber. I raked a comb through mine along with holding it upside down and rubbing my fingers over it until no more fibers fell out. You will still get some fibers - it's unavoidable, but doing this pre-cleaning of the scrubber really helps.

WoodwareUSA will be coming out with a new Scrub & Dry scrubber duo in January 2011 and it will recommend cleaning the scrubber before use right on the label.

And then the only thing that really cleaned all the fibers off was running the stamp under the faucet. But then if I dried it with a paper towel it put more fibers back on. The fibers are only visible with a magnifying glass or loupe but when they get inked they print extra lines around your image. So you should use a scrubber with cleaner fluid to get the ink off and then wash off any stray fibers in the sink. Someone else may come up with a better solution and please post it here if you do.

Hope that helps everyone!

Best regards,

Andre Cox
President
WoodwareUSA.com (http://www.woodwareusa.com)

[TheAfricanQueen]

Haven't really found that to be an issue. There are times that I will wipe my stamps off with an old hand towel because they may still be wet from my Stamp 'n Scrub. Many times when I don't get a clear enough image, I will just color them in with an appropriate color of Prismacolor pencil. Plus, I used just a drop of dish soap in a spray bottle to spray the Scrub side with and when I use Stazon, I have Stazon cleaner. So it truly has never been an issue.

[alsmouse]

I've not had issues with this since I use the BW as a quick clean up to get most of ink off. I then clean them in the sink with baby shampoo & a baby toothbrush, letting them air dry. Since I have the stamps under the water only a short time it hasn't impacted the mounting cushion. I do know if you get the mounting cushion too wet it can have problems. HTH
~C8>

[StamPoor]

Well, I HAVE had the problem... and I was blaming the cat! Thanks for letting us know about the various sources that create those teeny fibers. I plan to make some changes in my stamp cleaning routine.

[fab]

I might suggest that if this bothers you, give up the baby wipes. Stamp off most of the ink residue on scrap paper then clean the stamp using an old, worn (therefore not very linty) wash cloth or hand towel. Then you won"t be getting the wood or cushion wet. What little moisture is left can air dry.

For more difficult cleaning jobs I use diluted simple green on the old rag or with a toothbrush, then wipe it off on a water dampened section.

[fab]

PS: The dirty cloth can be rinsed out under the faucet at the end of your work session and hung to dry or thrown into your washer (after rinsing) with other towels or cleaning rags.

[inkkyjo]

i have for many years used baby wipes and most of the time paper towels with windex sprayed on them first...after all these years..my stamps are like new..but i will have to say, if you use really cheap paper towels and baby wipes , they will tell , they do leave more fibers....but all you have to do is wipe them with a wet cloth and it takes care of that..but i would rather use great paper towels..i love reading everyones responses...we are all different..thats what makes the world go round..huhhh..but it is so informative..thanks all

[inkkyjo]

ohh another thought..you must have been using pigment or solvent inks...cause all dye inks run right off with water or windex..pigment and solvents work better with solvent cleaners..they come in small 2 oz bottles. one of my favorite ones is called the
STAZON all purpose cleaner..one bottle will last a very long time..i use it so much..its made for all kinds of inks like dye ink and including solvents and pigments
i never get duplicate lines on my stamped art..so i dont know what you did there, unless somehow you moved the stamp without noticing it..i use all kinds of stamps, wooden, rubber, poly...no problems with any of them..sounds like movement..but dont know

[Deloris T]

I use a paint pad that I got at the hardware store to scrub the ink off my stamps.

It's the fuzzy refill pad that you attach to the plastic painting pads that you run along the wall to paint with. Rinse it out before you use it the first time and after that it works fine. No fibers attach to the stamps. I think I paid $2 for it. I also use old worn wash clothes. They work great too.

[sweetpea]

Once the stamps are dry, you could try removing lint from them with sticky tape (as we call it in Aus). It works wonders before using a stamp.

[stampin stacy]

Never been a problem for me either. If the stamp has lint or dust, a quick rinse off and air dry would take care of the problem. Of course you are going to see some lint and dust if you are using such a powerful magnifier, it is everywhere period not just on your stamps.

[andrebcox]

Well, I HAVE had the problem... and I was blaming the cat! Thanks for letting us know about the various sources that create those teeny fibers. I plan to make some changes in my stamp cleaning routine.

I thought it was from my dogs and less than clean office also! But I got new stamps out of the package and examined them with the magnifier first - they were clean!
Then I applied the baby wipes, paper towels, etc. and found the tiny fibers appeared with each one. Peggy at the local stamp store Southern Scrapbooks said she has found Viva paper towels produce less fibers on the stamps.

The tiny artifacts are so small that I'm sure most people don't notice them. I wouldn't have noticed them either if I hadn't been using a magnifier.

Andre

[stmpstone]

For a regular dye based ink I use the All Purpose Awesome cleaner that I get at the Dollar Store and an old Wash Cloth. If I'm using a permanent ink or if pigment ink gets in the cracks I use an electric scrubbing tooth brush with a solvent cleaner and it seems to work. I like the JudiKins solvent cleaner. Over the years I've tried lots of cleaning methods and the Awesome cleaner is the cheapest and works well.

[Infinity]

I like nothing better than using one of those painting pads. It leaaves no lint, and really scrubs the ink out of the nooks and cranies. I've been using the same one over 10 years! I don'y even know if these are made anymore. Haven't seen them at home depo but I'm sure some company on the web still has them.

[fab]

There are some stamping supply companies that make something that looks the same if you can't find them anymore in the building supply places.

[Stampo]

I don't rub with the baby wipes... just stamp on it and then blot on newsprint/packing sheets and I don't get fibers... no lanolin and no alcohol... I swear by them... if they're good enough for baby bottoms, they're good enough for rubber.

[Infinity]

A lint free, disposable cloth is......coffe filters! If you like using paper towels, but want to avoid the lint. just use a paper coffe machine filter instead.

[RubberTrucker]

I personally consider paper towels and baby wipes for stamping to be environmentally irresponsible. I use the fuzzy paint pads with water and then dry with some microfiber cloths I picked up in the automotive department at my local WallyWorld. I also have a wet one in the plastic box with my wet paint pad. I do tend to take the larger stamps over to the sink, particularly when I've used a pigment pad, and wash those off at the sink, with another paint pad kept there for just that use.

[inkkyjo]

I personally consider paper towels and baby wipes for stamping to be environmentally irresponsible. I use the fuzzy paint pads with water and then dry with some microfiber cloths I picked up in the automotive department at my local WallyWorld. I also have a wet one in the plastic box with my wet paint pad. I do tend to take the larger stamps over to the sink, particularly when I've used a pigment pad, and wash those off at the sink, with another paint pad kept there for just that use.

using paper towels in the kitchen , new mothers..use more paper towels , baby wipes than a stamper, so do the teachers and nurses of america ect, ect. so we are only as bad as you make us..where do you think all that dirty pigment water waste goes that you flush down the sink....its not just a hole that goes no where...it returns back to the water systems either in the cities or around your own septic which breeds in your soil...just thought i would give my take on your thoughts..but these are just my thoughts..i do not feel i am irresponsible in the environment any less than you are.
Just wondering, what does everyone else think

[stampin stacy]

Some just have a higher "need to be green" threshold than others. Since both will decompose over time I don't see the problem and I will use a paper towel to clean off stamps until it's falling, rinsing it out over & over again. Same with baby wipes but then for me it is more about the $$$.

[inkkyjo]

thanks stamping stacy..it kinda hurt my feelings cause they thought using paper towel and wipes were just irresponable..but i am just 1 stamper at home alone..you know..i am not wasting paper or wipes..gosh , i cant afford to..maybe they really need to think about the bigger pictures like the schools and resturants, hospitals ect...personally..i try hard..i am poor, so i waste not..it just hurt my feelings..i will get over it..hee hee hee

[stampin stacy]

I don't think she meant it to come out the way it did, at least I hope not but I could see where some would take the comment wrong. There is no right or wrong way to do anything stamping related, if it works for you then it's right. Stampers as a whole are a great "green" source I think since we are always altering and finding new purpose for things and that more than makes up for using products to cleanup that do after all decompse. Just my opinion.....

Product packaging is a horrible non-green waste though. There seems to be some attempt to change that but not to be green as much as to save $$$. We'll take it though!! :D

[Inky Whiskers]

I do hate that molded, impossible to open without a hack saw packaging that can't be recycled in my area!!! :swear: It seems like half of the products in big box stores are packaged that way anymore & it takes up too much room in the garbage bin cuz it doesn't fold or compact easily. I'm all for green, but there are a few lil details the green advocates don't want you to know:

1) Trees are a crop. We are in no danger of running out of them & in fact there are more trees in the US today than there were 75 years ago with more getting planted everyday. (Yes there was a 'shortage' during the height of the building boom a few years ago, but that was cuz they couldn't cut & cure the wood fast enough to keep up with demand, not cuz there wern't enough trees.)

2) It takes MORE energy & other resources like water plus chemicals to recycle paper than it does to make new paper from trees. Plus (as Stacy pointed out) paper does decompose. It would be a better use to compost it than be recycled in a plant.

3) Recycling materials like glass, metal & plastic how ever does make both $ & eco sense since it takes more resources to get the raw materials for those things out of the earth, than to recycle them. However, before you get all excited thinking we could survive on just recycling what we already have, there is usually a net loss of material in the recycling process & the demand for these materials continues to rise along with the population. So the mining of the raw materials is neccessary to meet demand, even if we all are pristine about our recycling habits, will need to continue until somebody gets a brilliant idea that will actually work.

So do what works for you & don't stress over what works for somebody else. This is America, where we still have SOME freedom to choose how we live our lives. :noway:

P.S. I use SU! Stampin' Scrub pads & Stampin' Mist cleaner for the most part, but will go to the sink w/toothbrush for some things & grab a paper towel for others. It depends on what will meet my cleaning need at the time. :D

[fab]

After all, keeping our stamps clean and making them last a long time so we can REUSE them saves resources too. Sharing them with others also extends their use.

[Stampo]

And those re-useable bags are made in China and contain lead which gets on your food plus they're loaded with germs when re-used.

[fab]

Yes, I have been leary of them. I do reuse the paper and plastic bags that come home with me. Only torn ones are tossed.

[Stampo]

I re-use all the plastic bags for trash too...

[TheAfricanQueen]

When it comes to using paper, here's my two cents worth:

If I were not to use paper towels, thereby 'saving' a tree or trees, I'm not really saving those trees at all. In fact, I'm killing them.

Think about it. How often does Washington State alone have forest fires to the tune of mass acreage? If those same trees were harvested and used for paper products and those paper products replaced all that nasty non-recyclable plastic crap, wouldn't we be all better off and safer too...

[fab]

Remember, that plastic crap is all made from oil, a resource that holds us hostage to Arab governments and big business.

[TheAfricanQueen]

Plastic, I believe, has its purpose but it's a very limited use. I prefer paper bags as they fold easily and are useful for all sorts of things such as draining grease from donuts. They also come in handy for wrapping gifts that are being shipped. Then, consider Halloween - talk about a haul you could get with one of those babies!

[Inky Whiskers]

We found a 'new' use for plastic grocery bags! We have self scooping litter boxes & they use recyclable plastic containers with lids to hold the scoopings. This is all fine & dandy except the disposible boxes run about $1 each. Not particularly economical as the box I clean needs to be dumped every other day & DH's about once a week (we have 5 mostly indoor cats), even tho' the self scooping feature keeps me & DH from have to do hourly litter cleaning. DH (clever man that he is) figured out the standard grocery store plastic bag is the perfect size for lining the disposible box! Bags with holes go in the garbage as is, but the good ones are used for dirty litter. Those bags do break down over time, but the ammonia from the litter will help speed that process up as well as help break down other materials nearby at the dump. By doing this the plastic boxes last for months before they crack to the point of needing to be replaced. We do use re-usable grocery bags a lot of the time, but sometimes we don't have any with us (we all know what a pain it is to remember to put the bags back in the car after each use :eyeroll: ) & now that we can re-use up to 75% of the plastic bags we bring home this way, we don't feel so guilty. Well, DH never felt guilty about it, but I don't like to waste stuff if I don't have to. :lol:

[inkkyjo]

inky, thats a great idea there, you just cant loose..great thinking on that one

[TheAfricanQueen]

From cleaning stamps to litter boxes...interesting...

[Darci Simmons]

:)) That was my tho't exactly!!! :D

[TheAfricanQueen]

What can I say? Great minds think alike. That's why we're all here, eh?

[Darci Simmons]

:D !

[TheAfricanQueen]

BTW if you don't clean your stamps, it seasons them. Kind of like cast iron...

[alsmouse]

BTW if you don't clean your stamps, it seasons them. Kind of like cast iron...

So does that mean you can cook on your stamps too. :)):))

I must be feeling better, I'm cracking bad jokes. LOL ~C8>

[Inky Whiskers]

I must be feeling better, I'm cracking bad jokes. LOL ~C8>

It's perfectly safe for you to crack bad jokes, eggs & heads now that your staples are out. You could put an eye out if one of those lil suckers went flying! :shock:

[TheAfricanQueen]

So does that mean you can cook on your stamps too. :)):))

I must be feeling better, I'm cracking bad jokes. LOL ~C8>

Should you decide to cook with your stamps, please use an image that will appeal to your most pleasurable dining experience. Also, gently rub image with a base of olive oil. For some bling, consider using sliced olives, oregano or basil. Paprika also adds a nice touch of red for a terrific food presentation along with just a sprig of parsley.

[alma]

one of my favorite ones is called the
STAZON all purpose cleaner..one bottle will last a very long time..i use it so much..its made for all kinds of inks like dye ink and including solvents and pigments.i use all kinds of stamps, wooden, rubber, poly...no problems with any of them..sounds like movement..but dont know

You may want to hold off on using the Stazon cleaner on those polymer stamps. The cleaner has be known to actually eat away at the stamps.

A better alternative is the Ultra Clean by Stewart Superior. That cleaner even gets off Stazon Opaque ink, in my opinion, the hardest to clean. I just spray and let it sit for a minute or so. Then clean off with a dry baby wipe

[inkkyjo]

You may want to hold off on using the Stazon cleaner on those polymer stamps. The cleaner has be known to actually eat away at the stamps.

A better alternative is the Ultra Clean by Stewart Superior. That cleaner even gets off Stazon Opaque ink, in my opinion, the hardest to clean. I just spray and let it sit for a minute or so. Then clean off with a dry baby wipe

i use solvent dyes and cleaners on my polys, but they are cheaper made..but they are holding up great...guess its all about who makes them , i dont know..i have been doing it for 5 yrs now on the poly ones..they are in great shape still..but i can always check it out for later

[Deb Lovett]

I thought the little hairs/artifacts were from my cat too. Ü Never considered it could be the stamping rags. Thanks, Andre, for opening my eyes to the real source of the problem.

Well, I HAVE had the problem... and I was blaming the cat! Thanks for letting us know about the various sources that create those teeny fibers. I plan to make some changes in my stamp cleaning routine.

[rockriver]

Can someone please tell me the best way to get acrylic paint off stamps---like the Tim Holtz or Claudine Hellmuth acrylic paints. I've wanted to try some of the techniques I've seen but in the videos I've watched, no one ever mentions how to get the stamps clean. The last thing I want to do is trash any of my stamps by using the wrong cleaning method.

[Stampo]

Actually, there is a special cleaner for your polymer stamps that we carry...

http://www.vlvstamps.com/media/catalog/product/p/o/polymer.jpg

[alsmouse]

Can someone please tell me the best way to get acrylic paint off stamps---like the Tim Holtz or Claudine Hellmuth acrylic paints.

Others may have other ways but I usually wash my stamps asap after using acrylic paints. I use baby shampoo & a soft toothbrush under running warm H2O. It may take a while but the stamp comes clean.
If it is dried on, get a small shallow container, place the stamp image side down inside it. Slowly pour very warm, not boiling, H2O into the container to just below the bottom edge of the foam holding the image on. Let this soak until the H2O is cool. Pull the stamp out & using baby shampoo & a soft toothbrush under running warm H2O, scrub the image. This may take a while to get clean & out of most of the recessed spot on the image. You may have to repeat this multiple times so be prepared to spend a while on this depending on how gunky the image is. If after that, there is still a bit of paint still in those spots , you will have to go to the next level. Pour out the shallow H2O pan. At this point you have 2 options. #1 is to pour Stazon stamp cleaner in to container, placing the stamp image down into the container. Pour only enough to come just below the edge of the mounting foam. Let it set & scrub away, repeating as necessary. The other option is where you place the image facing up into the container, carefully cover the entire stamp image with the Stazon to the point that it looks like it will pour over the edge of the stamp on the outside of the edge of the image. This is a bit trickier to do but with this way if you see any air bubbles you can dislodge them so the cleaner can get to the paint. Again let it soak [I prefer overnight if really gunky]. Again, using baby shampoo & a soft toothbrush under running warm H2O, scrub the image. Depending on how bad the stamp is will depend on how many times you may have to repeat this. If after wards you still have paint in the groves, take a dampened toothpick & gently rub each area that is still gunky.
I have tried this on a finely detailed stamp where the previous owner had used the cheapy paint from the craftstore, let it dry very well, bonding it to the rubber due to the metallic effect in the paint. It took me about 5 days to get the stamp useable again. I had purchased it at the LSS as consignment, when the owner saw how bad it was when I bought it, she said if I couldn't rehab it, to bring it back for credit. It had been a consignment piece & sh hadn't even been aware of the paint problem. After I was done cleaning it, I took it back for her to see. She didn't believe it was the same stamp.
Sorry this is so long but I wanted to give you the best instructions that I found useful. HTH
~C8>

[TheAfricanQueen]

Wow, alsmouse! You've really been thru some sticky wickets!

[alsmouse]

Wow, alsmouse! You've really been thru some sticky wickets!

It depends on how wide apart the wickets are though. :)):)):)):))
~C8>

[fab]

That is great advice mouse. It is amazing what can be cleaned off. I once got a free stamp at our recycle center that had been used in silver paint. It took a couple of days and I used diluted Simple Green and had the stamp face down with just the rubber in it. A good soak and then a toothbrush scrub a couple of times and it looks great again.

[cmcveigh]

Can someone please tell me the best way to get acrylic paint off stamps [...] no one ever mentions how to get the stamps clean.

Here's the secret y'all want to know!

When you go down the aisle to view the choices of acrylic paints (in my case, it's Michael's) turn around. The displays opposite the paints feature other mediums. Look for "Extender Medium." Buy it!

Pour a quarter-size dollop of acrylic paint onto some surface (I use the lid from a to-go salad). Add a few drops of "extender medium" onto the dollop of paint and mix it with a bamboo skewer, or other tool of choice. Wipe the tool with a paper towel and put aside.

Gently pounce the mixed medium with your triangle-shaped make-up sponge using the blunt end. You don't want to overload the sponge. Pounce the sponge several times off-side to distribute the paint/extender so that it's nicely covered on the sponge.

Gently sponge/tap the paint onto your stamp, and then stamp your image.

Acrylic paints are famously known to be quick-drying. The extender serves to "extend" the drying time of the paint. Thus, one does not have to worry about the paint drying on your stamp.

When you get darn right ready to get up from your crafting chair, you can comfortably saunter to your sink with your stamp and your sponge. Hold the stamp vertically and run warm water just over the rubber — it helps to have a spent toothbrush handy to clean the details. Run the sponge under the water and squeeze it to clean out the paint from it so you can use it again.

I've used the same salad-bar lid for years. Once the paints dry, it does not affect any new paint you might add for your next project. You would not believe how heavy that lid has become!!

[TheAfricanQueen]

Hope you aren't using the salad lid for salad anytime soon. :D

[Deb Lovett]

Thanks for the tip, Cheryl. I'm going to pick up some extender medium today.

[rockriver]

Thanks for the help, alsmouse!! I would have never tried the acrylic paints without your help!! For as much as I spend on these stamps, the last thing I want to do is wreck them :) I have the soft toothbrush---just need to get the baby shampoo and I'll give it a try!