White spots on color negatives.

[tomhooper]

I recently bought a negative scanner so that I can archive all my old images that are on 35mm film. The negatives look clean at first glance, but when scanned, there are numerous and I mean numerous white spots on the image. When examining the negatives under magnification I can see the tiny spots. My question is two-fold:
1) Anyone have a clue as to what they are?
2) Can I clean them. If so how?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Josh66]

Dust, most likely. Or scratches.

You can try to clean the negatives before scanning (I blow mine off with a bulb blower before scanning) or clone it out after scanning.

 

[Derrel]

Welcome to scanning film that's not virginally new!!!

 

[djacobox372]

That is dust, it's nearly impossible to avoid. If your scanning software has digital ice, it can help.

 

[ann]

scanning anything is dust, dust , dust. Cleaning , Cleaning and more cleaning, then spotting spotting spotting. It is madding.