Cine Film Cleaning

Is it really necessary?

If the cine film has been stored properly over the years then it is unlikely that it needs cleaning.

All cine film is assessed for cleanliness and damage when it comes into our London studios. The vast majority of cine film is fine. It might need a puff of air to remove dust and it might need resplicing in places. All this is done free of charge.

Any further cleaning, apart from the above procedure, should be avoided whenever possible.

Vinegar Syndrome and Mould on Cine Film

Further cleaning may be unavoidable and is a two stage process involving the use of solvents and then lubricants. It is a fairly invasive process due to the amount of handling required. If your cine film has deteriorated to the extent to warrant extensive cleaning, then it will also be in a fragile state and excessive handling may cause unnecessary physical damage. In order to assess if cleaning with solvents and lubricants is viable, we will need to see the cine film at our studios.

Cine film cleaning costs between £5 per 100ft depending on the format and the total footage that needs cleaning

Please contact us for a quotation regarding your order and don't worry - over 99% of the film we receive does not require cleaning.

Vinegar Syndrome

Vinegar syndrome in decaying cine film is characterised by a pungent vinegar smell.

It is then followed by film shrinkage and buckling of the emulsion. The cine film also becomes very brittle and breaks very easily.

It is caused by the acetate base of the cine film breaking down and producing acetic acid. It is greatly exacerbated by warm and humid storage conditions which greatly accelerate the onset of decay.

Once it starts happening, the process speeds up resulting in unplayable cine film. Early diagnosis and cold, moderately dry storage are the most effective defences Unfortunately there is currently no practical way of halting or reversing the course of the degradation once it has begun.

If you suspect your films are suffering from Vinegar Syndrome you need to get them to us ASAP.

Mould on Cine Film

If your home movie cine films have been stored in damp and humid conditions over the years, they may have been attacked by mould.

Fungi, such as Aspergillus and Pencillum will quite happily feast on the gelatin layer contained within the cine film.

Unfortunately the damage caused by mould can not be repaired as it eats away at the image on the cine film. The problem had certainly got worse over the last few years due to changing weather patterns

Cine film that may have been in perfect condition just 5 years ago could find itself seriously affected by mould. A significant proportion of our customers cine film is now showing the effects of mould and the onset of vinegar syndrome.

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