......And I know it's not Tuesday. It's Wednesday. I'm just a day late! :) Forgive me!......
Over the years I have progressed from a damp paper towel or wash cloth on a plate to a diaper wipe on a plate to a "corner edging hairy painting brush" to my long time favorite: Stampin' Up!'s Stampin' Scrub. And this is definitely the one that I've stuck with ever since it came out, hmmmmmm, how many years ago?
Why do I like it? It's tidy, compact and efficient. If you haven't experienced the Stampin' Scrub yet here at the nitty gritty details:
Stampin' Scrub, 102642, pg. 189 Spring-Summer 2009 IBC, $16.95 (US). Catalog description: "Dual-sided tray contains replaceable black fiber pads. Clean stamp on one side, blot dry on the other. Sized to fit even our largest stamps. Each pad is approximately 7" X 5-3/4".
I have to admit that I don't clean my background stamps on the Stampin' Scrub. There's just not enough wiggle room for me so I take them into to kitchen sink and run water over the image side and the ink just runs off. If I've used Craft (or pigment) ink, I'll use an old washcloth or towel or even toothbrush to get into the nooks and crannies.
When the Stampin' Scrub is opened up flat, near the opening tabs on each side is a little icon: an umbrella for the dry side and rain drops for the wet side. I've also used a metallic marker to write 'dry' and 'wet', with an arrow in the appropriate direction, on the inside spine for a quicker i.d. of the wet and dry sides.
To clean your stamps, spritz the pad, an area just a bit larger than the stamp you're cleaning, with Stampin' Mist (102394, p. 189, $4.50). Stampin' Mist is a lightly scented spray that both cleans and conditions your stamps. I clean each of my stamps immediately after use, especially when using Basic Black, Gray, or Brown. Those colors will stain your stamps--they won't harm them, just stain them.
It's best to 'dab'up and down with your stamps to clean them on the wet side. Then do the same on the dry side and put them back in their box. Rubbing them back and forth can cause the rubber to separate from the spongy layer or even peel away from the wood block if you're real aggressive and you wouldn't like that very much. I must admit I've done that over the years and have had no problems except with smaller, more detailed stamped. But I'm a 'dabber' now. :)
To clean your pads, just remove them from the case and take them to a sink. I sometimes use a table knife to pry them out rather than my finger or fingernail. Put a drop of your dish washing liquid on the pad and wash it like you would your hair: back and forth with your fingertips/nails. The scrubbing pad gets clean, and if you have ink on your fingertips, they get clean as well. Then rinse the pad under running water till it runs clear of both color and soap. Then just set them in your dish rack for several hours or over night. If you do this in the evening you'll be ready to go, with dry pads, in the morning.
If you use StazOn ink on your stamps you should use StazOn cleaner (109196, p. 190, $4.95) directly on your stamp. StazOn stamp cleaner is specially formulated to clean and condition stamps after use with StazOn ink--it's used to prevent staining that can come from solvent inks. It would also work with Basic Black, Gray or Brown. It has a sponge applicator at the top of the bottle. Then dab your stamp first on the wet side and then on the dry side of your Stampin' Scrub.
Be sure not to use the Stampin' Scrub right next to your finished stamped project. If you rub your stamp back and forth it will surely spray on your project, just like a toothbrush. If you dab dab dab, however, that shouldn't be a problem. Still, move the Scrub about 12" away.
Time for you to get your Stampin' Scrub??? Or do you need a second one to use while your dirty (now clean) one is drying? Just contact me or go to my Stampin' Up! website and order one online.
See you soon,
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