Railfan Technology > Residue from plastic slide pages problem

A question for the group: our RLHS Chapter received a donation of slides (K14 and E6) in slide pages made by 20th Century Plastics. They perhaps were not stored in optimal conditions. 

The pages are stuck to many of the slides, and the pages appear to have an affinity for the red ink on Kodak mounts.

I carefully extracted a few slides and they have a clear residue on them that appears to be from the plastic page.

I have not tried to clean any slides yet as I’m not sure of what I’m dealing with.

Has anyone had this experience with pages from 20th Century Plastics, or any other manufacturer? If so, what did you do to clean the slides?

I’m hoping that there is wisdom and experience out there amongst everyone here that can help out.

Any advice and experience is most appreciated!

This advice came up on a Google search...

"AI Overview                 
To remove the cloudy, sticky haze from slides stored in older vinyl 20th Century Plastics pages, safely clean the film using a dedicated film cleaner (e.g., PEC-12) or 99% isopropyl alcohol applied to a microfiber cloth or PEC-PAD.    Wipe very gently to dissolve the plasticizer residue before transferring the slides into safe, archival-quality sleeves (like polyethylene or polypropylene).

1. Safety Preparations

Wear lint-free gloves: This prevents your skin's natural oils from transferring onto the slide while you work.
Work in a clean environment: Ensure your workspace is free of dust or sand, which could permanently scratch the film's emulsion layer.Remove loose dust first: Use a bulb blower or compressed air to blow off any loose particles before using a cloth.

2. The Cleaning Process

Choose the right solvent: Use a specialized, quick-drying film cleaner like PEC-12, or highly concentrated (90%+) isopropyl alcohol. 
Do not use water, as it can damage or wash away the image emulsion.Apply correctly: Put a drop of cleaner onto a lint-free cloth or a PEC-PAD, never directly onto the slide itself.
Wipe gently: Wipe the slide gently from top to bottom. Do not rub aggressively. Always test your method on a less important slide first.
Dry completely: Let the slide dry completely in a dust-free environment before storing it.

3. Prevent Further Haze

The "haze" is caused by chemical breakdown (plasticizer outgassing) from older vinyl/PVC storage pages. Never return cleaned slides to the old 20th Century Plastics pages.
Re-house your restored slides in safe, archival-quality pages made of polypropylene or polyethylene (brands like Print File or Archival Methods are recommended by professionals).

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

Before I tried any cleaning, I think I would scan a few slides and see what you can do with ON1 or PhotoShop. Probably try scanning from both sides.  Nothing to lose! 

I have not done any searching at all, but there may also be specialized software for this problem.  You are not the first people to face this.  

I'm a little surprised by the Google claim that water will dissolve the emulsion.  I don't know about any of the Kodachrome processes, but E6 chemicals are water based.

Thank you both for taking the time to respond.

What's somewhat unusual is that the pages are not yellowed and the goop is clear.

I was hoping for some firsthand experience, but it looks like I'll be experimenting with non-critical content.

I'll report back in probably two weeks or so - going to borrow some of the cleaning products before I purchase any.