Washing your plate is important!

[SupportAssistant]

Did you know your plate needs a good clean from time to time, to remove any fingerprints or debris?

This is an example of finger oils contaminating the plate and affecting the adhesion, which can lead to failed prints and hotend blobs.

For the PEI plate, use dish soap and a sponge or brush to really scrub the surface. Alcohol won’t do the job—it just spreads the oil around for the textured plate.

Also, don’t use acetone or other ketone-based solvents, as they can damage the PEI coating.

Learn more in our Wiki article: Bambu Lab Textrued PEI Plate Cleaning Guide | Bambu Lab Wiki

[Olias]

Here’s my contribution to this stone soup. Since I’ve used these photos in so many other posts, why not make use of them here?

What I can add to this is my favorite mantra "If I had a dollar for every time someone posted… 'I swear I cleaned the plate with {fill_in_solvent_used} and scrubbed it {fill_in_damaging_cleaning_pad_used}" I’d be rich!!! €:euro:

If you think your plate is clean, try these tests.

Which one of these do we think is clean? The one on the left, or the one on the right?

Still not obvious? Well on a textured plate, you can’t easily see fingerprints. However, try this on a smooth plate and it becomes more obvious.

Note: Fingerprints generously applied after eating a cheeseburger.

Click to zoom in. This was on the Bambu high temp build plate which is unforgiving when showing plate contamination like fingerprint oils.

How to do a quick first layer test.

First, unless you genuinely prefer downloading, there’s no need to download a first layer test, as the process can be done faster than the download itself. Additionally, you can customize the test size and position smaller patches on your build plate to check specific areas for contamination or damage, saving time and filament.

Note: I am using Orca Slicer 2.2 so your menus may look a bit different in Bambu Studio but the same techniques apply to both slicers.

1. Right-click and start a cube primitive.
   

   

2. Scale the primitive to the size you want. 225x230mm covers most of the plate but 150x150 is faster and 100x100 faster yet, you decide. The key is to make sure the layer height is 0.28-0.5 so that the slicer only prints one layer.
   

   

3. Slice and print.
   

   

Differences in printing times.

Think your plate is clean? Print the entire area and see what your filament tells you. There is no hiding a dirty plate when you perform the first layer test.

Neat trick to change up the pattern.

Sometimes, a plate may be damaged for reasons unrelated to plate hygiene, or there could be a bed-leveling issue. An alternative test is to use a circular pattern, which creates a different type of first layer that can reveal distortions in layer adhesion, plate leveling, damage, or contamination. Plus, it looks cool!!!

[Olias]

On the subject of soap.

Look, I know that we all think we have discovered the “only” thing that works but soap is not rocket science and has been around since 2800 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia. So it’s highly unlikely that you found a better soap.

So what soaps are best:

1. Simple dishwashing detergent.
2. Must not have any skins softeners or additives. The simpler the better.

Two world-wide examples that are made by Proctor & Gamble that are the same formula but marketed under different names depending on where you live.

In North America - Dawn Dishwashing liquid. If you want to show off to your friends that you have money to burn, spend more on the “Ultra”. It’s the same stuff, it just goes to 11!!!

In the rest of the world, it goes by Fairy Liquid

The best way to apply soap

How is the best way? The way that works for you!!

But all kidding aside. Don’t overthink it. If it works, go with it. But here are some tips.

1. Any technique that works for drinking glasses will work for build plates. Smear on a generous amount of dish soap to coat the plate completely.
2. Take the hottest water and the highest nozzle pressure and rinse of the soap.
3. Repeat once, twice if you’re feeling a little OCD that day… and who doesn’t from time to time?

It’s that simple.

Scrubbing pads

Some folks just really feel that they can’t call something clean unless they scrub it with something abrasive. I get that, so here’s for you folks who just feel that compulsion to say “I scrubbed it”. While soap is more than just enough, what follows are lessons from mistakes I made and a ruined PEI build plate to prove this.

Scrubbing pads that work well.

The venerable time-honored Dobie nylon pad. Goes by many other names so don’t get caught up in the brand. Buy on price, not label.

Newcomer on the block(Since 20212): Scrub Daddy. It’s much stiffer until placed in warm water and will not damage your plate. Good if you’re feeling hyperaggressive and really want to feel like you’re making a difference in the cleaning world.

Evil Alternate scrubbing methods. USE ONLY IF YOU WANT TO RUIN YOUR BUILD PLATE!!!

Scotchbrite: I’ve done more damage to my build plates thinking, “If scrubbing is good, more must be better! Right?” It’s a fantastic abrasive—I love using it to prep my models right before spray painting. But for cleaning build plates? Not so much. It’s just shy of being sandpaper. But hey, if you’re feeling bold, go ahead, scrub away, and say goodbye to your build plate surface!

Curly Kate or Stainless Steel scrubbers:

The best for last, cleaning tool:

The venerable 100 year-old cellulose Cleaning Sponge. Simple wins out every time.

At $0.50 or €0.50 each, there is no greater value.
Amazon.com : cellulose cleaning sponge

[Olias]

On the subject of chemical cleaners such as IPA.

I know this will come up so I’ll address it now.

IPA

100% isopropyl Alcohol is a great cleaning agent for in-between cleanings. Don’t bother with “rubbing alcohol” found in your local supermarket, pharmacy (chemist if your in the UK), because it often will have certain contaminants but of it’s all you have, it will work. First, test rubbing alcohol by soaking a paper towel and rubbing it on a clear glass window. If it leaves behind a smear, that same contaminant will be on your build plate. 100% IPA doesn’t have this problem and can be found at your local paint shop, hardware store or online.

A good glass bottle sprayer will do a great job misting it and not wasting alcohol. They can be found at beauty supply houses or online. This is one I used but a plastic bottle is just as good. Amber Glass Spray Bottle

Ammonia Based glass cleaner

Windex or any of its generic competitors can be used in a pinch. But note that Ammonia will attack certain plastics such as polycarbonate and ABS so you don’t want this to be your go-to cleaner of choice. I use it sparingly and so far haven’t seen any degradation but experience from mistakenly cleaning my own eyeglasses proved that the damage is subtle and creates crazing which leads into microscopic cracks that ruin a build surface.

Acetone — A great way to dissolve the surface of your PEI plate!!!

Ask me how I know. Because I’ve ruined a PEI plate by trying Acetone, especially if the plate is warm. Plus, it just doesn’t do a better job of cleaning.

[KYZ_Design]

@Olias

Evil Alternate scrubbing methods. USE ONLY IF YOU WANT TO RUIN YOUR BUILD PLATE!!!

Some people say lightly sanding your old plates is a good way to somewhat restore it, the theory is that the small grooves give it more contact area. I imagine it only works a few times before you go through the coating, and the passes have to be light, but as long as you don’t go through the coating, it could be a good way to save a plate you were thinking of replacing. I have not tried this myself, maybe someone who has tried this can chime in.

[Olias]

@KYZ_Design

maybe someone who has tried this can chime in.

There’s no mystery to sanding. If the surface is rough, sanding will smooth it down to the grit of the sandpaper used. For textured plates, this will ruin the texture. However, for smooth surface plates, if the goal is to restore stiction, sanding will increase surface fissures—but at the cost of reducing the ease of part removal. Nothing comes without trade-offs.

An alternative method to temporarily restore a smooth plate is to use hair spray applied like spray paint. Two light coats, dried in between, can recreate a glass-like surface. After a print, a quick wipe with a moistened sponge can re-smooth the layer, but eventually, the spray will need to be washed off and reapplied. Again, nothing is without trade-offs.

Here’s a photo of a high-temp plate with minor marring from use. I needed to restore the surface to a more specular finish to achieve optical clarity. This shows two coats of Aquanet, but any fragrance-free, conditioner-free hairspray will work.

This was the results of that print. Sorry for the blurry photo.

And with a little bit more polishing of the model, I was able to achieve closer to the desired result but it was impossible to achieve without getting the plate smooth which the hairspray coating achieved.

Of course, one has to wash the hairspray off the model first before final prep. In this example, I used progressive sanding up to 1600 grit and finished off with cooktop polishing compound.

[TJB]

Drying your plate is just as important. Because you may have just undone all the work you just did.

Now there are variables here too but 2 things I’d like to add.

Use something lint free. If after you dry something and it looks like it needs a shave, use something else.

If you are using a reusable hand towel or such that goes through your washing cycle. Make sure to not use a fabric softener. Otherwise you might as well skip the whole process and wipe a greasy rag arcoss your plate.

[J.lifer]

Finally someone posted how to clean properly a plate. BTW, IPA reduces adherence on a clean PEI plate. It doesn’t help at all And If you have a new clean scrub pad that you can restrict to plate cleaning, it really doesn’t take much soap. I let mine dry and it has enough soap for several cleanings. Use HOT water and let drip off for a few seconds and I put mine right back on WITHOUT drying. Now, there’s not enough water to run off, just a few drops here and there, but it’s gone before the plate is hot enough to start the cycle. One less point of adding material back to the plate

[kuni]

I´m glad I bought the classic sponge right away I keep a pair of cloth gloves by every printer but I kinda forget to use them almost always and every couple of weeks some prints start looking bad showing it´s sponging time.

We got pretty hard water here, I saw some video where someone used IPA at the end and that seems to work to remove the remaining hard water and potential limestone deposits on the plates very well. (also saves me the burden of trying to get it all dry by towel etc.)

Now I only have to get the kids to not touch my plates with their disgusting, dirty hands…
Guess having the heatbed at max temperature all the time will waster too much energy and does not help with the spare plates (which are usually the ones that are touched most of the time…)
Also my cats do like to jump onto the plates just after printing… …

[user_2783019853]

I tried sanding when my original textured PEI plate stopped working well, it fixed the adhesion issue but it also changed the nice semi gloss surface finish to an ugly matte finish, if you aren’t perfectly even with your sanding, you will see the finish change in the spots you sanded more/less too. I was kinda upset about that part but I just use that plate for prototyping and messing around now, lesson learned!

[kuni]

Just printing something with 0.2 mm nozzle i noticed this flow pattern, seems I need to dry the plates even better or use destilled water for cleaning… (or could it be something else? I used a soap spray maybe just to little sponge-action?)

[Olias]

@kuni

seems I need to dry the plates even better or use destilled water for cleaning

I’m afraid you’re overthinking this—it happens to anyone who spends too much time reading forum posts.

All kidding aside, whether you use distilled water or water from the fountains of the Athenian Oracle, it will only get your plate wet—no wetter than the water coming out of your tap.

What you’re dealing with is a flow rate issue. Your photo shows perfect layer adhesion to the build plate, but it also reveals uneven filament deposition. I’d recommend doing a forum search for flow rate calibration and tackling that problem first.

[Highpersonic]

If anyone has tried will five star PBW ruin plates id be interested before trying myself, it would do a pretty good deep clean now and then if it is fine to use. As far as i know dish soap Fairy etc leave’s a film behind.
PBW is

[Olias]

@Highpersonic

As far as i know dish soap Fairy etc leave’s a film behind.

That is not entirely correct if you’re using the regular version free of moisturizers.

These brands are notorious for leaving films because they add skin moisturizers.

• Palmolive Ultra Soft Touch
• Dawn Gentle Clean
• Ivory Classic Dishwashing Liquid

This particular version of Palmolive as an example advertises the exact opposite.

This is why its important to read the label.

Just to explain why I know this stuff—quick, funny story! I was a volunteer leader at a youth group, and we were hosting a charity car wash. Mid-morning, we ran out of soap, so in a pinch, we dashed into the supermarket (which was kind enough to let us use their parking lot) and grabbed some Dawn Gentle Clean. I mean, all soaps are the same, right? Yeah, no. We found out the hard way when we couldn’t get the car windows clean! Back to the store we went, and the manager kindly explained the differences in soaps and pointed us to a better option. You live and learn!

[Highpersonic]

I’m not completely familiar of the causing agent on Fairy / dawn or what ever version you would have, but thing is i believe it does leave a film on to the surface of being cleaned, imagine those car windows not fogging up again after, this does not work with most or none other cleaning solution that i’m aware of.

i am not talking here on a visible clear film, but for example in brewing beer, it will cause the beer to lack head if you ferment it in a container cleaned with dish soap, or if you clean your shower mirror with fairy that will not fog up anymore.

It works cleaning the build plate pretty well, dont get me wrong, but id still rather have it completely free of anything, and maybe it still can be improved on.
I quess i will do my test on the PBW later, i for unrelated reasons have almost 20 kilograms of it in powder, definitely want to use that if possible.

Edit. your info has been very good so far, i’m not trying to argue with what you say is wrong, rather trying to improve since i have a ton of that stuff.

Edit2, also yes, additives in the dish soap “fairy” is even worse, and i am not talking about those.

[Olias]

@Highpersonic

i am not talking here on a visible clear film, but for example in brewing beer, it will cause the beer to lack head if you ferment it in a container cleaned with dish soap, or if you clean your shower mirror with fairy that will not fog up anymore.

I love that analogy. It is so uniquely British!!!

Most Americans drink out of the can or bottle which I knew you Europeans just love to poke fun at us for.

Having said that.

@Highpersonic

but thing is it does leave a film on to the surface of being cleaned

If that has been your experience, it might be worth trying another brand, as I suggested earlier. However, it’s important not to present this as a universal fact without specific examples or evidence, as it can create confusion for others in the community. Misrepresenting opinions as facts risks spreading myths or urban legends. If you have evidence or detailed findings, please share them so everyone can benefit from accurate information.

[Highpersonic]

but thing is i believe it does leave a film on to the surface of being cleaned, sorted

Edit, A mirror doesn’t fog after being cleaned with Fairy detergent (or similar dishwashing liquids) because the detergent creates a thin, invisible layer that disrupts the formation of water droplets.

That is from chat GPT, do what you wish with the info, but would not say for a fact it wont create a film on surfaces.

And still, it is a good way to keep your plate clean, even if it leaves that invisible film, if you se a film, something is not right.

Edit 2.
PBW contains powerful detergents and oxygen-based cleaners that thoroughly clean surfaces, leaving them free of oils or residues. This super-clean surface minimizes areas where water droplets can form and cling, reducing fogging. However, PBW itself is not specifically designed to leave an anti-fog layer like dish soaps might. Instead, its effectiveness would depend on how clean it leaves the surface.

Will try it after the print!

[BZNalcapone]

im fairly new to printing and have only been printing about 3 months. over the course of 3 months i bought 3 printers. A1 mini, A1 mini with AMS and a A1 with AMS.

So far all printers have been amazing but i will say this i did not was the plates at first with my minis I just started and went. when I got my A1 recently did the same thing. put together and started running but thats where the issues started.

I like to use a Matte Rainbow PLA and I noticed on the new A1 the first layer print was not sticking and looked terrible. I decided to run the plate under hot water and wash it with dawn dish soap. after that started a print and the print came out amazing.

So I say even if the printer is brand new. Wash your plate because it was not working well right out of the box.

[Highpersonic]

Happy to report that washing with PBW did not destroy my PEI sticker plate surface, it did clean a lot of grime, which i think mostly was the dishwashing detergent, i assume also pulled out some proteins not cleaned by the dish detergent from the micro surface of the plate.
Will post what i find when trying out a more fiddly print with smaller detail, but for now seems like ok option.
If you are going to now do this, try it with care, i have only washed my plate once with this so far and cannot report on longevity of the plate.

… dawn and fairy are IN MY OPINION still very viable and safe, just not maybe the best that can be