I need to clean my rubber stamps and I’ve never done it before. I was hoping to save money as I only have a few stamps so I would like to avoid buying stamp cleaner if I can.
According to the internet I should use soap and water, but I also found this using Simple Green. I have a bottle on hand so it would be a good option for me.
Has anyone tried this and would you recommend? Thank you!
When I took a printmaking class back in college we used Simple Green to clean all of our printing materials (unless using oil based paints, then had to use turpentine 
) So I think you should be fine.
I have not used Simple Green but I have used Murphy’s oil soap to clean brushes, stamps, and stencils.
And recently read about soaking stencils in dishwasher detergent and that worked well also.
TBH I never clean my stamps. I guess I should if I wanted to switch colors but I usually just stamp on the new color and off on scrap paper until the old color is gone.
Simple Green is a solvent for acrylic and latex paints, so depending on what you stamp with it could work wonders! However, if your stamps have latex or acrylic, it could damage them.
Honestly? I just take them to the sink when I wash my hands and give them a quick clean. Even if the surface retains some of the ink colour I haven’t found that it matters later, even when stamping with lighter colours.
Hmm… I’m also side eyeing the fact that this cleaning tip is on the product website. Sure, it could work, but hand soap is also pretty gentle. If I already had it on hand I might try, but I wouldn’t buy it just for that.
Thank you so much you guys! I was using some metallic ink pads on homemade wrapping paper and it has left a residue that I haven’t seen from my other ink pads. It is very reminiscent of acrylic paint residue so while I think soap and water would work, simple green might require less agitation. I’ll let you guys know how it turns out.
Depending on what your stamps are made of, a bit of light agitation/scrubbing might not be an issue. Julie Balzer uses a nail brush to lightly scrub block printing ink out of her stamps that were carved from speedy carve.
If the metallic ink you used is similar to acrylic, I’d leave the stamps soaking in water (assuming they’re not mounted) to keep the ink from drying in the grooves of the stamp. I think if you let acrylic dry in it, it’s never coming out. Since yours is an ink, it’s probably not an issue but more mentioning in case you do start stamping with acrylics.
I use Stampin’ Mist stamp cleaner and spray some on my Stampin’ Scrub pad. I have used it for over 18 years. One side of the scrub pad is the wet side to spray the cleaner and scrub your stamp clean then the other side is the dry side to rub the stamp dry. It is made by Stampin’ Up! and they have been in business for 35 years.
I wanted to pop this in somewhere and this thread seems like a good fit.
I also saw that this lady uses a Simple Green mixture for cleaner for her stamps as well (one part Simple Green to nine parts water).
Stamp scrubbers are expensive, imo, so
this is how you can DIY your own stamp scrubber!
If you don’t want to watch, here’s the rundown:
What you’ll need
Slim baby wipe plastic case, emptied
Two paint pad edger, hooks cut off
Foam tape
Sharpie
Assembly
Open the baby wipe case.
Use the foam tape to put two to three long strips on the underside of one of the paint pad edgers. Adhere to one side of the interior of the case.
Repeat with the second paint pad edger for the other side of the interior of the case.
Use your Sharpie and write “WET” above one paint pad edger.
Write “DRY” on the second edger.
There you go!
You can spray your stamp and scrub it on the wet side, then dry on the dry side.
If you’re like me then you’ve worn the heck out of your Recollections scrubber and it’s falling out of the case and OF COURSE they don’t sell just replacement scrubbers. I’m going to try this and if it works, I will attempt to remember to post a pic.
I hear someone mention goof off is good for cleaning stencils with dried on paint.
Not sure it would be good for stamps but your post reminded me of that tip
Hahahaha, goof off.
Yeah, I wonder if it would work for stamps that have paint instead of ink. Sometimes I come across those at thrift stores, but I don’t purchase them because of the paint.
Murphy’s oil soap will remove acrylic paint from most things (brayers, stencils) so I would assume it would do the same for stamps.
I would be cautious with Simple Green and anything acrylic or latex, as it can be a solvent for them. I will remove cured paint from surfaces that you don’t want it to, so it could also soften tools made from these materials - I have had it damage polypropylene flipflops.
