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Author Topic: Stained bellows..  (Read 1012 times)

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Pearse Rossa

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Stained bellows..
« on: March 01, 2017, 10:18:46 PM »

Other than wiping with a damp cloth, is there anything you can do to clean up
and brighten old bellows?
I mean the folds and particularly the gussets.
I have cleaned all loose dirt and dust, but the colour is still dull compared to its original white.
Is there any cleaning agent that is safe to use?
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Steve_freereeder

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Re: Stained bellows..
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2017, 10:49:23 PM »

Other than wiping with a damp cloth, is there anything you can do to clean up
and brighten old bellows?
I mean the folds and particularly the gussets.
I have cleaned all loose dirt and dust, but the colour is still dull compared to its original white.
Is there any cleaning agent that is safe to use?
I don't think you will ever get the bellows papers back to their original brilliance. Much of the dullness and probable browning/yellowing is a result of the paper/card oxidising, not because of dirt.
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Steve
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www.lizziedripping.org.uk

Pearse Rossa

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Re: Stained bellows..
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2017, 11:06:12 PM »

That's what I thought. Thanks.
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911377brian

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Re: Stained bellows..
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2017, 10:38:00 AM »

Pearse, I've had success with water colour paint on advice from Melnet members given some time back. I used the colour nearest to the original...
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Pearse Rossa

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Re: Stained bellows..
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2017, 11:41:22 AM »

.. I've had success with water colour paint...

That's exactly what I was hoping I could do. The gussets are the worst affected.
A light coat of water colour is not going to cause them to stiffen, or is it?
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911377brian

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Re: Stained bellows..
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2017, 12:38:15 PM »

I cleaned the gussets with a dry 1" paint brush then gave them a clean up with cotton buds and tepid water with a tiny drop of washing up liquid. You'll be amazes how much muck you can remove. It's a ball drawing job, getting on for 70 gussets and a lot of cotton buds. The gussets remained flexible....mind you, they don't look that much different so whether it's worth the bother..... ???
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Pearse Rossa

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Re: Stained bellows..
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2017, 02:06:50 PM »

Pearse, I've had success with water colour paint on advice from Melnet members given some time back. I used the colour nearest to the original...

I'm ready to go to work..
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