How do you reclaim screens?Updated 3 hours ago

Reclaiming a screen is completed in just a few easy steps. It's important that all steps are followed though, and will set you up the best foundation for getting a good, clean, accurate stencil with your emulsion. Screens that are not reclaimed or 'prepped' correctly can cause emulsion to not stick to the mesh, or cause other issues in the print process.

1. Clean up the ink from the screen - Use a clean up card and remove as much ink as you can from the screen. The more ink your filtration system and wash out booth don't have to deal with, the better for it's lifespan. And in many cases, you can reuse the ink you have there if stored properly. Then use an ink remover like Sgreen Ink Degrader for plastisol inks, or Aqua Wash for water based inks to get the rest of it cleaned off your screen.
2. Remove the Emulsion - Emulsion Remover comes in different strengths depending on brand. Many of are ready to go right out of the bottle, but some require dilution, so check your directions carefully. If you're not using a dip tank, you'll just need to spray your screen on both sides with the emulsion remover and then scrub in a circular motion with your dedicated scrub pad until you've started to break down that emulsion and you see it softening in the screen. After that, let it sit for at least 30 seconds, but DO NOT let it dry on the screen or your emulsion may get irreparably locked in your mesh. Then use your pressure washer to wash away the emulsion from the mesh from the t-shirt side only. Spraying it from the squeegee side can lead to de-lamination of the mesh from the frame. Make sure to remove all of the emulsion, and check for burn lines or bumps of stuck on emulsion at the edges in case you need to do this step again. Rinse well so that none of the emulsion scum remains in the screen.
3. Haze Remover - Got an image still stuck in the screen? Haze is common in well loved screens, but it can create visibility issues on the screen. Using Haze Remover next will help remove that stuck in image and give you a much cleaner screen to start with. You just spray it on the screen and use a dedicated scrub pad to scrub both sides of the screen. Make sure to scrub in the corners and near the frame edge to remove all contaminants. Let the haze remover sit for up to 3 minutes, but do not let it stay on the glue of the frame as it it will eat away at that adhesive. Then pressure wash it all away beginning at the bottom from the shirt side. You should see the water cascade down in a smooth sheeting action.
4. Degreaser - Degreasing is one of the most important steps, that can sometimes get missed in the process. Just like the Haze remover above, you spray it on, scrub it in, let it sit for up to 3 minutes, and wash it out with a pressure washer. This step is extremely important for making sure the Emulsion will be able to properly adhere to your mesh. Missing this step can lead to it all washing down the sink when it's time to wash out your stencil or an early breakdown in the emulsion while on press with the screen. 

There are variations on this process depending on your chemicals, with many Dual Purpose solutions for both Degreasing and Dehazing in one step such as Sgreen Stuff. Once you've completed those steps and the screen is fully dry, you're able to re-coat it with emulsion and start over again! 

To learn more about the reclaim process, watch this video.