Need Help Can you clean Foamcore?

[Zach1648]

I am an experienced sign maker and digital printer and I have never had to clean foamcore before but my recent foamcore deliveries have been pretty bad in terms of cleanliness. Here are the facts:

• UV Flatbed Printing (Oce' Arizone 365 CMYK)
• ALWAYS wearing Nitrile Gloves and nevver touch printable area
• ONLY holding the material by the edges.
• Foamcore is already dirty where the delivery driver has handled it.

Results: Finger prints in the print.

From the time I receive the material to the time I print I where gloves to handle the formacore. I have been wasting a lot of material lately and have called my supplier (and other suppliers) and their only recommendation is to buy a case to avoid finger prints. Obviously, whomever is pulling inventory for my orders is clearly not wearing gloves, or at least gloves that aren't clean.

I was thinking of trying something that vaporizes quickly, like denatured alcohol or acetone, but I am afraid of damaging the foamcore. Looking to see anyone has found a way of cleaning foamcore for UV printing.

 

[Bly]

Wear cotton gloves not nitrile.
Buy in packs only.
You can't clean it really as dirt gets ingrained into the paper face.

 

[Andy D]

Are the fingerprints visible before you print, or do they show up in the ink (assuming you are UV printing)?
If it's invisible fingerprints that show up once you print, I would take a rag that
is just barely (very barely) damp with a degreaser & try cleaning in swirling motions.
Many vendors won't sell foam-board out of a case, if you insist on buying a couple of sheets at a time,
there are foam-boards that have different outer shells, other than just paper.

 

[Johnny Best]

Is it the natural paper finish or the white clay coat finish you are having problems with, Is it Gatorboard or another brand with a plastic top like styrine. And yes buy a carton so the guys in the warehouse won't have to wear gloves.

 

[Sindex Printing]

I have had some luck using 99% alchohol and a webril cotton pads with light pressure and just damp. Staicide has also worked. I have had much luck if the foam core had a lot of grime on it

 

[Creative Sign Guy(s)]

I thought I would revive this post to add an answer for people looking for a way to clean paper faced substrates such as foam/gator board. Two things work quite well, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser(Melamine foam) and fine grit sandpaper. No special technique. Just use as normal. I have saved countless sheets that would have been otherwise unusable. You will need to brush it off really well before printing. Hope this helps someone.

 

[Rohit Prasad]

I would suggest buying foamcore in bulk/25 sheets per case. It comes from the factory nice and clean…if you’re buying a few sheets here and there you will always have fingerprint issues or random markers showing up on prints.