Do dye inks reactivate color from previous stains?

[melonhead]

I don't know how else to say it. I was making color swatches with a solid clear stamp, and as soon as I used the "soft rose" the stamp stained. I'm ok with that because I had always believed that it didn't affect future stamping.

But when I used the "sage" color it clearly had soft rose mixed in it. I did thoroughly clean the stamp between the colors with a damp absorber, and I also used a little stamping mist.

In desperation, I took it to the kitchen and washed it with blue Dawn. It was still stained, and certain ink colors still picked up that stain.

Do I have to mark which of my inks must be used with virgin stamps? That's no way to make a flower field!

[UnderstandBlue]

Ah you shouldn't - but there is some porousness to a photopolymer surface. I find I really have to clean them beyond what you'd think, especially if they're a little stained because it's hard to tell visually if they're clean, and I've found that stamping them in Versamark and then onto a scrap is a good way to tell if you've really gotten all the ink off.

[melonhead]

Thank you.

Well, that was interesting.

I went back and scrubbed it again with blue Dawn and some rough terrycloth. I've been stamping that stamp off with Versamark for about 20 minutes, and it still keeps bringing up a small amount of color, almost every time.

I wonder if alcohol or peroxide would work.

[melonhead]

Also, I wonder if using Versamark before stamping with dye inks will help protect the stamp from staining so much in the first place.

I just got another big order of SSS ink pads and now I'm leery of them.

[bjeans]

After making your impression, did you first stamp-stamp-stamp on scrap paper until you didn't see ink, and then clean it? I've found I have to do that with some colors - mainly anything with red in it - like your rose.

Mostly I use a Stamp Shammy these days, and don't worry about staining, but for tough-to-remove ink I use Hero Arts Ultra Clean spray and Costco baby wipes.

[Cathy H]

I think this is a great question - I never thought of it - now I am wondering who made the stamp in question? I haven't noticed the problem. Yet.