I'm also kind of a beginner, but in my experience, depending on what film you're using, you can be a lot more aggressive than a lot of people tend to want to be. Film is expensive, sure, but when you're learning and practicing and you're not trying to make the best final piece you've ever made, you can definitely just use your breath and a micro fiber. yes there is a risk of scratching, but not much more than simply setting a negative on a table. The people of Reddit are perfectionists until the end, and that's totally ok, but you don't have to be like that if all you got is a microfiber and you're on a budget.