Caring for cyanotypes

I often get asked about how to care for cyanotypes. Generally, people are worried about the durability of the prints. I think the idea that cyanotypes fade easily is mostly a myth. However, there are certain conditions where they can be ruined, but these are easily avoided with the proper knowledge.

General care instructions

Hand wash cold by itself with a splash of white vinegar. Ensure the detergent is phosphate-free. I use my regular detergent, I just made sure to read the ingredients before I washed cyanotype the first time. Even better is if you use pH neutral detergent. Air dry out of the sun. Store in a dark place (like your closet).

Obviously, don’t use bleach! Less obviously, do not use washing soda. Ideally, just avoid all additives! There are likely others that will bleach your prints permanently.

Fading

The main danger to cyanotypes is high alkalinity. The higher the alkalinity, the faster they fade. Washing soda will impart a high alkalinity, which leads to rapid fading (within seconds). Chalk in water gives a lower alkalinity, but still leads to fading within hours. Tap water can be alkaline, depending on the minerals in it, and that will lead to fading after a few days (of continuous soaking). This is why I recommend adding a splash of white vinegar to your wash, to neutralize any alkalinity. Acidity is not an issue for cyanotypes, but it may slightly change the quality of the prints (stronger highlights, less midtones).

Cyanotypes also fade temporarily in the sun. This will happen when you wear your cyanotype prints outside. This reaction is a transformation of the Prussian blue pigment to a Prussian white. Storing them in the dark for a few days will restore their vibrancy. I’m not sure whether washing a sun-faded cyanotype washes away the Prussian white permanently. If you want to be safe, you can wash after the blue has returned.

I read here that phosphates cause bleaching too: https://www.alternativephotography.com/washing-cyanotypes-on-fabrics-or-cloth/. However, I have not tried it, so you have to rely on what the author says. And I don’t think you should rely on what she says too strongly, because she doesn’t seem to understand the fundamental principles of cyanotype care. She explains that any washing with soap will fade cyanotype, but in her experiments she used hand soap, which is quite alkaline (pH 10 will definitely fade your print!).

How often to wash?

I don’t really have a fixed number. I will say that the only garments I wash after every wear are underwear and socks. Generally, I wash my shirts every week (3-5 wears), pants after a month or two (I would say this is 10-20 wears). Jackets even less. As you can tell, I wear the same clothes a lot!

I have not tried washing cyanotypes super frequently, and I’m not sure that I recommend doing it. As with all other clothing, I’m sure the dye will fade as you wash it repeatedly over a long time.

Removing stains

This actually hasn’t happened to me yet, so I can’t reliably vouch for any methods. But I would try to find an alkaline-free strategy for removing them. Remember that stains can behave differently based on what is doing the staining AND the composition of the fabric being stained (proteins, like silk and wool, versus cellulose, like cotton, linen, hemp, rayon, versus synthetics, like polyester or nylon).