Cleaning vinyl records

[Pete]

What is everyone's best method for cleaning their records? I use a brush and sometimes an anti static cloth. Hoping someone can enlighten me about washing/vacuum methods.

[waitup]

In an AT issue a few months back there was a little column about this stuff that you pour onto your record and then when it dries you peel it off. I think I remember Rick telling me it's been around for years but that might be wrong and I'm imagining things.

[Pete]

That does sound like something you would make up.. though a bit of googling reveals this: http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=320.0

I would definitely try that on some pawn store finds but I think it would tedious to do for every record I own. Keep them coming!

[spandex man]

I used to use distilled water and a cloth.

[jkhuri44]

i have read from various places the following....

crazy expensive cleaning methods are a waste of time for records with damaged grooves....

Brown or White vinegar is a good "solvent", which can dissolve clumps of mold and shit on records...wierd, but worth trying, and kinda makes sense.

There are expensive vinyl vaccuum cleaners available...

Microfibre clothes are good to wipe down your record when its been cleaned, to get rid of the dust, etc.

My reading again suggests that some pressings were noisy from day one, and cleaning to get rid of noise from old records is hit and miss.
If a record looks clean and is still clicking and popping, it is suggested that there is some groove damage, etc.

Solutions involving distilled water, pure alcohol and special detergents are a good idea.

Anyone care to add, minus from this...or tell me i'm wrong, i'm learning about this at the moment too, so any help would be great.

[Pete]

Thanks Jamil. There is TON of info on the net about the best way to clean vinyl and much of it contradictory e.g. using distilled water and a few drop of isopropyl - some say it is the best way, others say you are doing permanent damage to your records. The vinegar thing is interesting, I will keep it in mind for a few records I have that could use a bit of heavy cleaning.

[Dallas]

Way back when I was working in radio land we used to use those 1/2-circle felt cleaners, with a mix of distilled water with a drop or two of dishwashing liquid in it (enough to be a solvent, but not enough to bubble up!) - the idea was to slap the record onto the turntable, then wipe - the resultant water in the grooves would cut down the amount of vinyl noise.

[jkhuri44]

^ thats wet playing?? and apparently filters out high end, which gives the illusion of quieter records....

I recently tried simply washing some shit records in water and metho mix...didnt make shit all difference to any of the noise inherent there....

will try pure metho and also vinegar this weekend.

I've tried PVA method as well, it's scary, might try it again this week :-)

[jkhuri44]

Pete, relevant to your interests...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-professional-record-cleaning-machine/

[electricsound]

I have a Loricraft cleaning machine (used in conjunction with diluted isopropyl). No other method I've ever tried (which is probably almost all of the non-vacuum methods) ever worked nearly as well. Best money I ever spent.

[jkhuri44]

I have a Loricraft cleaning machine (used in conjunction with diluted isopropyl). No other method I've ever tried (which is probably almost all of the non-vacuum methods) ever worked nearly as well. Best money I ever spent.

i hear you should sell those to turtlerock members for 100 pennies.

[Pete]

Pete, relevant to your interests...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-professional-record-cleaning-machine/

Wow! That is intense. I have a soon to be used turntable which would be perfect for this. Great suggestions everyone. I think I will try a some of the easier approaches first and then if I get confident, a home made Loricraft.

[Alastair Reynolds]

I agree that the most effective method is the wash and vacuum systems. My prefered unit is the Keith Monks Record cleaning Machine using 50/50 mix of iso-propyl alcohol and distilled water
http://www.keithmonks-rcm.co.uk. I have one of the Gemini Dual Deck units and the results are always perfect. They do come up on the second hand market every now and again or you can buy one new, pricey though, about $5K from memory. If anyone desperately needs a treasured Vinyl cleaned, drop me a line

[jkhuri44]

thanks alastair...painful seeing that machine....

WANT!

[jkhuri44]

Anywhere in Sydney you can hire the higher end cleaning systems???

i might be doing some batch archiving in the near future...and dont see myself blowing 5K on a vaccuum cleaner!

hehehe.

[GlennS]

Hi Jamil,

I vaguely remember seeing one at 2MBS way back when I used to do recordings for them. Perhaps you could ask them, or a similar community radio station that may have one.

Cheers,
Glenn

[Pete]

I was chatting to the guy at the vintage record on parramatta rd, he has a vpi 16.5. I'm sure you could come to some kind of deal depending on how many you are doing. What kind of numbers are you talking here?

[jkhuri44]

not sure yet pete.
might be 200 or so.

still working it out, im gong to be doing this for myself and my friends.