Rubber stamping is a popular crafting technique for decorating paper and fabric with inks. They must be cleaned properly to ensure that they can be used over and over again. This is a guide about cleaning rubber stamps.
Solutions: Cleaning Rubber Stamps
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Use baby wipes in their container, don't take them out, leave them flat right in the container. When you need to clean the ink off the rubber stamp, just open the lid and stamp, stamp, stamp. Then dry on an old towel. Remember, never rub the image on the rubber stamp as that ruins it. You can use each of the baby wipes several times. If they last so long as to dry out, just dampen with water. I have done this for years, and my rubber stamps are as good as new; just a little stained around the wood mount.
Rubber stamps are great fun, but everyone seems daunted by cleaning them. It is easy if you just remember a few things: plain water is best, alcohol is a no-no, and a paint edging pad is a great solution.
Go to your local home improvement store and purchase one of those flat pads you use for putting the paint on in corners, like at the ceiling or top of walls. Iit is soft and has lots of short flexible "bristles". Wet one end with plain water, and set the whole thing down on a plastic tray or towel to catch any drips.
Simply swirl the inky stamp on the wet end, then swirl it again on the dry end, and your stamp is clean. The little bristles get down into the cracks and dips of the rubber and get the ink out. When the pad looks dirty, rinse it out really good and let it dry. Eventually the inks will stain the bristles, but it will still work to get your stamps clean.
If your stamp seems too wet to use again right away, just blot it off on some paper towel.
Remember, any cleaner with alcohol in it will dry out the rubber in the stamp and they won't last as long. Specialty inks (scrapbooking, fabric, etc.) may need special cleaners; just read the package. But for the majority of the inks we all use water is best.
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Questions
Here are questions related to Cleaning Rubber Stamps.
I bought a box of children's rubber stamps at a thrift store. They are horribly stained and I need to know if there is a way to get them clean. I have tried soaking them in dishwater and scrubbing them with a toothbrush. I have tried rubbing alcohol and scrubbing again, but not having much luck. Any suggestions?
By latrtatr
05/20/2011
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Cleaning Rubber Stamps