Cleaning Records - what worked (well)

[One and a half]

Not willing just yet to buy a really expensive record cleaning machine, the web is full of ideas for cleaning records, from applying PVA wood glue, pressure washing, WD-40 and various other techniques. The recipe for the cleaning solution seems to be consistent across the web which is encouraging. I did try a few drops of dishwashing liquid in the solution, but found it didn't create enough suds to lift the dirt out and even repeating the process, so tried something different and this worked really well.

 

Equipment:

Shur-Line Paint Edger

(Be sure to condition the edger by spraying the solution on the pad, scrub vigorously to remove any loose fibres, then rinsing with water)

2 x Plastic refillable spray bottles, one for demin water, the other for the solution

Solution

Microfibre cloths (at least 4) two should be the larger foot square type - Remove the dicky label to avoid scratching the record surface

plain cotton bath size towel

Label saver/protector

 

Solution

1 part 99% ISOPropyl alcohol

6 parts distilled or demin water

10 drops or a foot long x  2mm wide steam of Meguiars Gold class Car wash

 

Method

Lay a cotton towel flat on a bench close to the kitchen sink

Place a microfibre towel on top of the cotton towel

Fit the label protector on the record, both sides

Spray the solution over both sides of the record, this gets messy, so hold the record over the sink with the label saver

Use the paint edger on the record and follow the groove, add a little pressure, wipe back and forth and on the edges.

Flip over the record to repeat, spray solution on the paint edger again.

Rinse the soap and scum off the record with tap water. If there is hard water about, spray the demin water to rinse.

The record should now bead water drops. Shake off excess water

Remove the label saver and place the record on the microfibre towel

Place another microfibre towel on top of the record and pat the towel onto the record. This will displace the water from the record into the towel. I use this technique for drying car paint after a wash, there's no effort and the paint is dry.

Remove the top towel and with another microfibre cloth to wipe the excess water off. Hold the record to the light to see if any blemishes are about.

Sometimes the plastic sleeves leave a residue on the surface, use the isopropyl directly to remove.

The record is good to play, and remove those paper and hard plastic sleeves and replace with the MOFI record sleeve protectors, they are great and cheap.

 

The above works for about 6 LP records, then change out the microfibre towels as they get wet and aren't effective in retaining water.

 

The records stay clean for quite a number of plays, and the dust doesn't settle as quickly. For records I bought from 1972, and all those years of dust and grime lift right out, and there are no pops or crackles, dead silent, except of course for those dunderheads that added scratches, and the vendor didn't mention them.......

 

If you have other chemicals or methods that worked, by all means share the info.

 

 

[Ralf11]

have you tried comparing with any other methods?

 

I relied on the DiscWasher system back in the late Holocene...

[wgscott]

For vinyl, I found acetone and DMSO provided the most satisfying results.

[Solstice380]

43 minutes ago, wgscott said:

For vinyl, I found acetone and DMSO provided the most satisfying results.

 

You sure about that acetone?  Doesn't acetone melt PVC?  Did you mean alcohol?

[Richard Dale]

7 hours ago, One and a half said:

Not willing just yet to buy a really expensive record cleaning machine, the web is full of ideas for cleaning records, from applying PVA wood glue, pressure washing, WD-40 and various other techniques. The recipe for the cleaning solution seems to be consistent across the web which is encouraging. I did try a few drops of dishwashing liquid in the solution, but found it didn't create enough suds to lift the dirt out and even repeating the process, so tried something different and this worked really well.

 

Equipment:

Shur-Line Paint Edger

(Be sure to condition the edger by spraying the solution on the pad, scrub vigorously to remove any loose fibres, then rinsing with water)

2 x Plastic refillable spray bottles, one for demin water, the other for the solution

Solution

Microfibre cloths (at least 4) two should be the larger foot square type - Remove the dicky label to avoid scratching the record surface

plain cotton bath size towel

Label saver/protector

 

Solution

1 part 99% ISOPropyl alcohol

6 parts distilled or demin water

10 drops or a foot long x  2mm wide steam of Meguiars Gold class Car wash

 

Method

Lay a cotton towel flat on a bench close to the kitchen sink

Place a microfibre towel on top of the cotton towel

Fit the label protector on the record, both sides

Spray the solution over both sides of the record, this gets messy, so hold the record over the sink with the label saver

Use the paint edger on the record and follow the groove, add a little pressure, wipe back and forth and on the edges.

Flip over the record to repeat, spray solution on the paint edger again.

Rinse the soap and scum off the record with tap water. If there is hard water about, spray the demin water to rinse.

The record should now bead water drops. Shake off excess water

Remove the label saver and place the record on the microfibre towel

Place another microfibre towel on top of the record and pat the towel onto the record. This will displace the water from the record into the towel. I use this technique for drying car paint after a wash, there's no effort and the paint is dry.

Remove the top towel and with another microfibre cloth to wipe the excess water off. Hold the record to the light to see if any blemishes are about.

Sometimes the plastic sleeves leave a residue on the surface, use the isopropyl directly to remove.

The record is good to play, and remove those paper and hard plastic sleeves and replace with the MOFI record sleeve protectors, they are great and cheap.

 

The above works for about 6 LP records, then change out the microfibre towels as they get wet and aren't effective in retaining water.

 

The records stay clean for quite a number of plays, and the dust doesn't settle as quickly. For records I bought from 1972, and all those years of dust and grime lift right out, and there are no pops or crackles, dead silent, except of course for those dunderheads that added scratches, and the vendor didn't mention them.......

 

If you have other chemicals or methods that worked, by all means share the info.

 

 

I use L'Art du Son record cleaning fluid with distilled water in a Pro-ject record cleaning machine. You say record cleaning machines are expensive, but the Pro-Ject range start at 300 UK pounds which doesn't seem a lot to me relative to how much a decent record playing system costs.

[SuperRoo]

I use a Record Doctor and Audio Intelligent #6 fluid.

[wgscott]

1 hour ago, Solstice380 said:

 

You sure about that acetone?  Doesn't acetone melt PVC?  Did you mean alcohol?

 

Hence the final 4 words.

[fas42]

Will be visiting the audio friend this afternoon who does vinyl - he has a procedure which to the ears gives an excellently low level of dirt noise ... I'll get him to make up a recipe, if I can 😁, and post it ...

[Iving]

I'm a lifelong record collector and have been an online dealer for over a decade having earned a great reputation. All vintage vinyl records - even babied ones - benefit from cleaning. Dampen a microfibre cloth with diluted vinegar (not alcohol) based glass or window cleaner e.g. Mr Muscle. Between finger and thumb clean the rim (run-in) - then wipe the whole surface of the record with a damp microfibre pad. Play both sides "wet". Repeat as required if the record is filthy. Crud on the stylus is the yardstick. Buff to a sheen with a dry microfibre cloth and play twice more. Any noise left is damage not dirt. I have several workhorse decks running as busy as I am trading and also as feeding my own archive requires. Yes it takes time and yes you need cleaning decks and expendable cartridges. Regas are amazing decks and carts and the motors are easily replaced.  There isn't a better way and I would never use a record cleaning machine. Cleaned records must be stored in paper not poly or poly-lined inners in order to avoid scarring.

[Ralf11]

why would you never use a record cleaning machine?

[AudioDoctor]

This thing has jumped up a lot in price since I purchased it but it really works. If you have new albums you probably don’t need it. If you like to dig through the crates for gems, you need it. 
 

https://www.musicdirect.com/cleaning-machines/audio-desk-2019-vinyl-cleaner-pro-record-cleaning-machine

[wgscott]

For that price, you could get about six Bosch dishwashers.

 

The red one costs $100 more.

[mansr]

10 minutes ago, Iving said:

Play both sides "wet". Repeat as required if the record is filthy.

Can this be done at a higher speed (45 or 78) to save time?

 

11 minutes ago, Iving said:

Buff to a sheen

Not too much of a sheen though, and certainly not Charlie.

[mansr]

9 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

why would you never use a record cleaning machine?

[Ralf11]

9 minutes ago, wgscott said:

For that price, you could get about six Bosch dishwashers.

 

The red one costs $100 more.

 

it's cheaper than an sem

[Iving]

4 minutes ago, mansr said:

Can this be done at a higher speed (45 or 78) to save time?

 

spot on 

must use correct stylus if 78

78's a bit fast

yes i use the 45 speed setting on a rega deck

[AudioDoctor]

30 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

 

it's cheaper than an sem

Or a new cartridge once you get to a certain level. It was 3k, plus I bought it on a sale, when I bought mine. 

[One and a half]

9 hours ago, Richard Dale said:

I use L'Art du Son record cleaning fluid with distilled water in a Pro-ject record cleaning machine. You say record cleaning machines are expensive, but the Pro-Ject range start at 300 UK pounds which doesn't seem a lot to me relative to how much a decent record playing system costs.

I rather spend money towards music than buy a record cleaning machine in this case. I don't have an extensive record library, so really cannot justify the expense, not find a place to store the RCM,  and it bothers me that the cleaner sold with the machine or device can't be swapped with something else.

 

[AudioDoctor]

Have you seen a Nitty Gritty?  I hear good things about them.  
 

Or a Spin Clean

 

https://www.musicdirect.com/cleaning-machines/spin-clean-starter-kit-record-washer-system-mk2

[Jud]

Inexpensive and probably least hassle of the non-motorized methods: https://www.musicdirect.com/cleaning-machines/in-the-groove-record-cleaner

 

Edit: Damn, I see it's no longer available, at least from Music Direct. Oh well, I like it.

[Richard Dale]

24 minutes ago, One and a half said:

I rather spend money towards music than buy a record cleaning machine in this case. I don't have an extensive record library, so really cannot justify the expense, not find a place to store the RCM,  and it bothers me that the cleaner sold with the machine or device can't be swapped with something else.

 

You can use any cleaning fluid you like with an RCM like the Pro-Ject ones. The cleaning fluid recipe you used sounds like a bad idea to me as it’s got alcohol and tap water in it. The L’Art du Son cleaning fluid with distilled water costs peanuts per LP anyway, and I can’t see the point in saving money by using some inferior home brew that quite probably will damage your records.

[Richard Dale]

31 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Have you seen a Nitty Gritty?  I hear good things about them.  
 

Or a Spin Clean

 

https://www.musicdirect.com/cleaning-machines/spin-clean-starter-kit-record-washer-system-mk2

I tried one of those before I got my Pro-Ject RCM and it was a disaster with the records sounding noisier after cleaning than they were before.

[AudioDoctor]

20 minutes ago, Richard Dale said:

I tried one of those before I got my Pro-Ject RCM and it was a disaster with the records sounding noisier after cleaning than they were before.

Which?  So I know not to recommend it in the future. 

[Richard Dale]

3 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

Which?  So I know not to recommend it in the future. 

The yellow plastic Spin Clean. It seems to work for other people but not for me.

[One and a half]

3 hours ago, Richard Dale said:

You can use any cleaning fluid you like with an RCM like the Pro-Ject ones. The cleaning fluid recipe you used sounds like a bad idea to me as it’s got alcohol and tap water in it. The L’Art du Son cleaning fluid with distilled water costs peanuts per LP anyway, and I can’t see the point in saving money by using some inferior home brew that quite probably will damage your records.

For isopropyl (diluted 1:6) the jury is still out and far from settled.

 

Is it safe to clean vinyl records with alcohol?

 

8 easy and affordable ways to clean your vinyl records by hand