Tip Tuesday: Cleaning Stamps

Today the team would like to share some tips for cleaning stamps. Some folks don't bother cleaning their rubber, but residual ink can cause problems if ink is transferred to ink pads of a different color, or if the wrong color is printed when you stamp on your project. So... most stampers we know do clean their stamps. Here are some tips for keeping inky stamps from spoiling your new ink pad or your beautiful project.

Tip #1
Clear stamps clean well in a small bowl of slightly soapy water. Don't use the sink, though, because small stamps can easily wash down the drain.

Tip #2
After using stamps with Stazon and cleaning with Stazon cleaner, I like to sit my stamps on an old (but well re-inked) embossing ink pad for a while. It conditions the rubber.

Tip #3
Find a square plastic lunch box to store your stamping scrub in. This will give you something to store the moisture it require to clean your stamps while giving you the opportunity to carry it with you to crafting events.

Tip #4
Baby Wipes make great stamp cleaners. Make sure to use Alcohol Free wipes (most are). Great for traveling too, baby wipes come in a handy dispenser package. Great for cleaning ink off hands as well.

Tip #5
A soft toothbrush (I prefer a child size) is great for really getting into the crevices of a stamp to clean it.

Tip #6
I have found that cleaning stamps immediately after use is the best thing if you want clean stamps. Even StazOn comes off easily.

Tip #7
When using dye inks, just run water over cling-mounted stamps to clean them! (Note: don't do this with your wood-mounted stamps, though, since the water can damage the wooden block over time.)

Tip #8
If you don't have a stamping scrub pad, a paint pad refill will work just fine. You can find the refills in most hardware stores. Cut off any clips on the back and cut to size to store in any sealed storage container. An advantage to a pad like this is that because it isn't affixed inside a case, you can use it to scrub those HUGE background stamps.

Tip #9
Use the right kind of cleaner for the kind of ink you are using! If you are using a solvent-based ink like Stazon, you really need a solvent-based cleaner. Memories cleaner really works well on that type of ink. Most other inks will clean up just fine with a water=based cleaner. FranticStamper carries them all!

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