Abstract: A method and apparatus for restoring to chemical stability motion picture film having an acetate base which is suffering, or which may begin to suffer, from the deterioration generally referred to as “vinegar syndrome.” The method allows films to be treated and stabilized without applying a liquid to their surfaces and without immersing them in any liquid. Instead, vapors emitted from a specially prepared, heated chemical solution permeate the film base and begin chemical reactions which ultimately restore the film. The process can be used on film that has begun to deteriorate, or it can be used, as a preventative measure, on apparently healthy film.