The 8x10 plastic tray which I use for developer has started to build up a greyish deposit which I cannot get off with ordinary detergent. Any suggestions as to what I can use to remove it? The developer that I am using is Polymax-T, in case that makes a difference.

Thanks.

-- Peter Schauss (schauss@worldnet.att.net), May 29, 2002

Answers

Diluted chlorine bleach will remove it, as will Farmer's reducer.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), May 29, 2002.

1% Hydrochloride acid is another cleaner I read about somewhere.

-- Patric (jenspatricdahlen@hotmail.com), May 30, 2002.

Someone once told me to dump some stop bath into the developer tray before rinsing it. Have done this for years and have no staining at all in my trays. I can't promise that it will clean your old tray, but it will stop the problem from getting worse.

-- Ed Farmer (photography2k@hotmail.com), May 31, 2002.

The dishwasher works fine, too. The stain isn't important, IMO, and I prefer to avoid acids in the developer tray.

-- Don Karon (kc6d@arrl.net), June 01, 2002.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. First I tried washing the tray with diluted bleach. When that did nothing for the stain, I filled the tray with water, added a small amount of bleach, and let it sit overnight. The next morning the stain was gone.

-- Peter Schauss (schauss@worldnet.att.net), June 04, 2002.