Cleaning Records - what worked (well)

[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.

[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.

[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.