Cleaning Stamps

What's the best way to clean both rubber and acrylic stamps? Are there any products you recommend? I'm having a hard time cleaning the black ink off of my stamps. Thanks!

I use a stamp cleaner that I got from The Angel Company, but you can purchase it at any craft store. I also use baby wipes but not as good as stamp cleaner

I use the CTMH stamp cleaner and scrubber. I also use baby wipes. If the stain is really stubborn, you may have to clean it more than once to get it off. I also find that sometimes the rubber stamps will stain easier than the acrylic stamps do.

Good luck!

Yes, I agree with the original poster here. It is difficult to clean my stamps too. Most of my stamps are CTMH and I use their scrubber and their cleaner. Am very unhappy with the quality of the results of using them together even. I am still on a search for better results after spending $ and going thru the effort each time. Also nothing seems to clean off the archival ink or the permanent inks I use. So I'll come back to this string on another day and look for other peoples thoughts here. Just ordered some new cleaner from Scrapbook.com with a dauber and hope I get better results with it when it comes in.

Once you use a stamp with any kind of ink, it will stain over use and time. Dye or permanent inks tends to stain more.
No matter how you try to make it look like new, the ink stain will remain but the image will still stamp the same (unless the stamp has been stored poorly and has had pressure on it).

Try putting a folded paper towel in a clean meat tray and dampening it, after you stamp, wipe off your stamp and let it dry before storing it.
Some people like to use Simple Green with the dampened paper towel. There are also stamp cleaners on the market too which are more expensive for less product.

For acrylic, read the instructions on cleaning per company as they vary. Most say just rinse off and pat dry. Some people clean them gently with dishwashing detergent and a soft toothbrush (can do this with rubber too).

Hope that helps.

• PokeyMom Said:

Thanks for all the tips! I'll have to try them. The hardest ink I'm having trouble cleaning off is black archival ink. I've been able to get other inks off the stamps with a spray cleaner I bought.

Black Archival Ink is a dye ink which does cause permanent staining on any type of stamp.
StazOn has the same staining effect.

Use of this type of ink will build up and add to the staining over time even if you clean the stamp immediately after use.

It will never come off 100% nor will your stamp ever look brand new and unused as when you first bought it if you use it.

A stamp that does have stains sometimes indicates that the image stamps well and has crisp and clean lines. There are die hard stampers who know this and prefer well stained stamps over new rubber. Even a well cleaned stamp with staining does not mean the image is unstampable.

I use CTMH cleaner, but for Staz On...I use the cleaner...think I bought it at Michaels...also seems to condition even the cheap $1 stamps

Brooke....dont worry about your stamps having ink left on them. Most of the replies here are very good. You will NOT be able to take all the ink off stamps(especially permanent or archival inks and dark colored inks, even metallic inks)...that's not a bad thing. A lil bit of ink residue WILL NOT harm or impair the use of your stamps.
Just consider them "caringly' used....dont go to great expense buying the stamp clearners...waste of $$$....I've used the toothbrush/gel or liquid soap method for years...and my stamps work good as new....I probably have stamps older than you that are still working great!!!
Enjoy yourself....

hello,
can someone tell me what is best to use, when stamps is sitting with ink, for about one month.
i have stamp cleaners and the canen kind for cleaning stamps.
. but they still hav not come off.
was sick and things happen so they were left unclean, reall need help. thank you. scrappy grandma

For stamps with stains from permanent inks I us a stamp cleaner I buy from the stampin up company. It removes all the ink just leaving a lite stain but no ink. For waterbase inks I spray a little water trying not to wet the entire stamp and wood. I scrub it with a toothbrush I use to clean my stamps and let them dry before I put them away. Visit http://fromtheheart.stampinup.net for the Staz on ink cleaner.(Permanent ink clearner.)Good luck

• scrappy grandma Said:

My stamps have been left out like that before (esp after my daughter used them) and I just cleaned them like I normally would and they were fine. Some ink staining on the stamps is really normal and just shows that you love your stamps enough to use them.

I use one of the scrubber cleaners with some spray stamp cleaner. I spray it with the cleaner and also with some water. I have found this helps the cleaner to "suds up" and clean better.

Soap and water. You could try rubbing alcohol but only one time! I have some pretty horribly stained stamps (bought from others) but they still work beautifully