Cotton Gloves Smudging?

[TamirN]

I've been using cotton gloves to scan my film for the past few months with no problem, but I've been alternating 5 pairs for the past few months and haven't washed them yet (they are already falling apart after just a few uses and I'm not sure how they would fare in the washing machine) I recently noticed some smudges on my film even though I was wearing the gloves, so I took out a blank negative and smudged my gloved finger along the negative and here's what I got. Are these just bad gloves, or do they need to be washed regularly to avoid oil from seeping through? In this case I might just need to get a 100 pack ;-)

Thanks,

 

[Overrank]

I did try using cotton gloves but found that they ctpreated more problems than they solved. I went back to using my bare hands and only touching the film by the edges (It might help that the Plustek holders I used were very easy uptown load film into).

Where I have to touch film I use a “Kinetronics Anti-static Microfiber Cloth” between my fingers and the film. This can be washed and it’s also big enough to cut down into smaller pieces, keeping the unused ones in the original bag.

 

[DaveWeir]

I found that cotton gloves cause smudging after just a few uses, they basically absorb oils from your fingers. I use thin nitrile gloves, which I reuse several times, but washed hands are better than cotton gloves - it’s also easier to handle negatives carefully by the edges.

 

[Thumbnail]

I abandoned cotton gloves decades ago when I realised that they shed tiny micro fibres that get everywhere. I tried many alternatives over the years but the watershed moment for me was when the cheap polythene gloves used by staff in in food preparation areas became available and are as cheap as chips. I don them, give them a quick squirt with a lens cleaning anti-static spray that evaporates almost immediately and then I'm good to go. Unfortunately with the war on plastic now in full swing I will have to search for an alternative when they are no longer available.

 

[tassienick]

I've been using cotton gloves to scan my film

Don’t use cotton gloves, use powderless nitrile or similar. Museums and similar stopped used cotton ‘conservators’ gloves years ago...

 

[absquatulate]

I did try using cotton gloves but found that they ctpreated more problems than they solved. I went back to using my bare hands and only touching the film by the edges (It might help that the Plustek holders I used were very easy uptown load film into).

Where I have to touch film I use a “Kinetronics Anti-static Microfiber Cloth” between my fingers and the film. This can be washed and it’s also big enough to cut down into smaller pieces, keeping the unused ones in the original bag.

I concur, i found cotton gloves drop fibres all over the place, I just wash my hands regularly and handle my negatives via the rebate and get a lot fewer issues.