Get those stamps clean!

Hi friends! Today I will show you how to make a stamp cleaning pad. It works as well as the stamp scrubbers you can pay $15+ for (better than some) and you might have all the supplies you need already! Check out the video!

You will need: A flat container like a travel baby wipes box, DVD or VHS case, 2 paint pads, foam tape and a sharpie. Simply adhere a paint pad to each side of the inside of the container and you are all set! I use simple green and water (9:1 ratio) for rubber stamps and 1 Tablespoon baby shampoo in a 4oz spray bottle of water for clear stamps but I must say if you clean them right when you use them water will probably do the trick. I hope this helps you save some cash and keep those stamps in tip-top shape! Happy crafting!

33 thoughts on “Get those stamps clean!

  1. Good idea, but I like my mat cleaner bigger as have quite a few really large stamps. I even wish the stampin-up mat was larger. Maybe use 2 paint mats on each side. Just aq thought. Edna

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  2. Hi Lindsay 🙂
    Wishing you and your family a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2015.
    Thank you for teaching us how to be frugal crafters!

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  3. Clever! I did have the paint pads and dvd cases on hand and made one. Going to double the size once I come up with a larger container. Merry Christmas and happy new year to you and yours.

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  4. TFS Lindsay!!!! I have one already, but now, will make one so I can use one for rubber stamps and one for clear stamps…no cross contamination that way! Woo HOO!
    Jan

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  5. I have one of the SU scrubby pads that I have never used. I have a fear that the pad will get all inky and just smear ink back onto my stamps after I used it for a while so I never used it! I mostly use just water to clean my stamps and dry them with a paper towel and they clean up just fine. If they need further cleaning due to certain inks I do have a couple of store bought cleaners that have lasted me for years and will still last for years to come since I don’t need them very often.

    So, I’m curious… don’t those kinds of scrubby pads get all inky after some use? I guess they must work well since many people use them. But, I just can’t get past my thoughts that they would end up being an inky mess after a few uses. I guess I should just break down and try the one I have and see what happens! LOL! (And no, I didn’t “choose” to purchase the one I have. It came in the SU demonstrator kit several years ago when I signed up to be a hobby demo. I would have much rather had another stamp/stamp set in it’s place. LOL!)

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      1. Hi Lindsay!

        You know a reply on Christmas Eve is above and beyond the call of duty! 🙂 🙂 But, thanks so much for replying to my question. I guess my reluctance to use one of these scrubbers keeps more questions coming.. So, if you make your own, I guess you’d have to use a very strong permanent adhesive to glue the pads in place so they wouldn’t be coming loose all the time due to washing them. I’m not an every day stamper, so maybe it’s just because I do fine with my water and paper towel, but at this point I guess I wouldn’t want to add another crafting “tool” that I have to keep clean. But, who knows, maybe I’ll dig out the SU scrubber I have never used and give it a try and if I end up liking it I’ll know I can always make my own in the future! 🙂

        Thanks again for replying so quickly!!!

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  6. I’m wondering if you could use Velcro to hold the paint pads on. Then you could remove the pads to clean them. I personally, have a zillion old cloth rags that I rinse under water, squeeze & put in a small dish on my crafting table. Whenever I use a stamp I just wipe it with the rag. When the rags get dirty I just throw them in with my towels in the washing machine. Never had any ink get into my other towels. I’ve been using this method (pretty much free) for ten or eleven years with no problem. I do keep some special cleaner that I got years ago that I use if my stamp is especially dirty. And water works on both rubber and photopolymer. And, also, I use cheap and expensive photopolymer with no noticeable difference. I just use chalk or CTMH ink pads if I can’t seem to get good coverage. Love your videos and your AACs. You’re my go to person for questions. Thank you so very much.
    And Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

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  7. holy moly, you are genius! I’d been always thinking those pads were rather expensive, but I luv them, so I’ve been buying the refil pads… I have a couple of them, but from now on, I will try this! I saved the video clip! Thank you Lindsay and Merry Christmas! 🙂

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  8. There is a graffiti remover product called “Krud Kutter” that was highly recommended by Lisa Pavelka in a polymer clay magazine a few years ago. She swore by it and said it even removed old ink from her stamps. I found it at Home Depot online, but I’m trying to find out if it has any ingredients in it that could be harmful to stamps, such as alcohol. Here is the link to the product on Home Depot’s website: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Krud-Kutter-32-oz-Graffiti-Remover-GR32-6/203396846?ds_e_ad_type=pla&cm_mmc=Shopping%7cBase&gclid=CPePk9fC5sICFajm7AodjSYA4Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

    Does anyone know what ingredients are harmful to stamps, other than alcohol?

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  9. When I use versamark for embossing, it makes my stamps super sticky and so far nothing I have tried has taken the sticky away. Any suggestions???

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  10. Awesome idea Lindsay! You can try using a pencil eraser on clear stamps that get sticky , they also recommend using it when the stamps are new before the first use. The more expensive stamps recommend doing it, but so far the ones it is really noticeable on are the cheap ones. ~Diane

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  11. Hi, Lindsay Thanks for sharing all the knowledge about stamping and DIY tutorial. Why do you like baby shampoo vs other shampoo vs just dish detergent. What do you think would be closest to stampin mist?something I can spray on pad.

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