Why is my emulsion film is not cleaning out?

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This is a problem that many printers face. So the question is: what can happen to that emulsion film that disallowed reclaiming.

All screen printing emulsions have Polyvinyl Acetate that is solvent sensitive- it makes the emulsion film hard to clean as it coalesces after the exposure to certain solvents. For example, if you are using Benzene or gasoline, it may lock in the film. Most screen openers have aggressive solvents which are usually instant evaporating or fast drying.

The ink cleaners (Press wash or ink degradent) for solvent and UV inks usually carry stronger solvents and are not recommended for Plastisol ink. The emulsions that are being used for textile printing have higher solids due to higher content of polyvinyl acetate that is more vulnerable to be locked in easily. Some of the Dual Cure Emulsion offer better solvent resistance. Make sure that you achieve the optimum exposure of the emulsion and must not be under cured. Under cured emulsion makes the cleaning worst, even in the case of using milder press wash or ink degradent.