Lighter Fuel As A Record Cleaner

[Markw]

............suggested by a well-known Cardiff secondhand record dealer. Please discuss.

[Tony Smith]

Don't!

[Geeselad]

not on the vinyl, but its great for disolving glue on most stickers, so you can remove from covers and lables.

[Godzilla]

Don't!

Especially if using the currently fashionable 'glue' method. Can't be long before someone ends up with a burning lighter stuck to their thumb...

[Modernsoulsucks]

I may have to step in here again before this subject becomes too inflammatory.

I have a dim recollection that this was actually covered in a September 1964 Blue Peter where I think sticky-backed plastic was suggested as an alternative to glue.

ROD [forum moderatort]

[Kegsy]

I may have to step in here again before this subject becomes too inflammatory.

I have a dim recollection that this was actually covered in a September 1964 Blue Peter where I think sticky-backed plastic was suggested as an alternative to glue.

ROD [forum moderatort]

Hmmmmmmmmm a moderator with a sense of humour, maybe the guy who has a want up

for Frank Wilson will get a copy. :ohmy:

Kegsy

Edited March 7, 2012 by Kegsy

[Nige Brown]

not on the vinyl, but its great for disolving glue on most stickers, so you can remove from covers and lables.

SPOT ON GEESE!!

[boba]

My in-depth analysis of the glue method showed that it did not remove any more dirt than an effective cleaning without glue.

Lighter fluid (assuming you don't mean Butane) is an organic solvent (Naphtha), I think that compound specifically gels up and will leave an annoying shiny coating on the record that is impossible to clean off. I'm sure there's some organic solvent that will get out some stuff that other cleaning methods won't, but I would be especially careful using it, especially on styrene. I melted the grooves of a styrene record with paint thinner once.

[boba]

Also, I would inspect any records you got from that dealer for an annoying weird / unnatural shine.

I hate dealers who polish records or shine them and think they're so slick and nobody will notice... They're destroying the records in an attempt to trick people to getting higher profits.

[Garethx]

Will 'melt' styrene particularly badly and is not particularly good for vinyl.

As others have said there are better solvents if you wish to remove glue residue from labels.

[SLAMMINSOUL]

Hmmmmmmmmm a moderator with a sense

of humour, maybe the guy who has a want up

for Frank Wilson will get a copy. :ohmy:

Kegsy

I actualy got a copy thanks! Some nice chap from Hull! Just cleaning it now with some lighter fluid!

Fwoooosh! Yikes there goes my eyebrows......

Damn what a waste of cash

Clint

Edited March 7, 2012 by SLAMMINSOUL

[Mrtag]

I actualy got a copy thanks! Some nice chap from Hull! Just cleaning it now with some lighter fluid!

Fwoooosh! Yikes there goes my eyebrows......

Damn what a waste of cash

Clint

Hi Clint, Thought you might have been at Carls do on Friday night!! Atb John.

[Kris Holmes]

I had to endure a speech from a guy at a party the other night about how he cleans his 45s with WD40 & it makes them play like new. He was fully serious, I was just nodding politely & smiling. I then told him I didn't know why he was talking to me about this because I don't collect records, he then insisted he had met me once before (he had) & we had talked records (we had), so I insisted he had the wrong guy & changed topic to guitar amps.

[boba]

I had to endure a speech from a guy at a party the other night about how he cleans his 45s with WD40 & it makes them play like new. He was fully serious, I was just nodding politely & smiling. I then told him I didn't know why he was talking to me about this because I don't collect records, he then insisted he had met me once before (he had) & we had talked records (we had), so I insisted he had the wrong guy & changed topic to guitar amps.

that also gives records a weird shine that you can't get off

[Markw]

I had to endure a speech from a guy at a party the other night about how he cleans his 45s with WD40 & it makes them play like new. He was fully serious, I was just nodding politely & smiling. I then told him I didn't know why he was talking to me about this because I don't collect records, he then insisted he had met me once before (he had) & we had talked records (we had), so I insisted he had the wrong guy & changed topic to guitar amps.

Was his name Pete Smith, by any chance.........???

[Guest allnightandy]

I have used ronson lighter fuel on styrene with no problems

put it on then wipe it off asap !

[Des Crombie]

I clean my records using an old vacum cleaner, fish net tights, a sponge, warm water and a record cleaning fluid.

[boba]

I clean my records using an old vacum cleaner, fish net tights, a sponge, warm water and a record cleaning fluid.

at that point I think you should just invest in a VPI, nitty gritty, okki nokki, or other similar cleaner

[Godzilla]

I clean my records using an old vacum cleaner, fish net tights, a sponge, warm water and a record cleaning fluid.

Does wearing the tights really get the records cleaner or is just a personal preference thing?

Do you have any pictures?

Please send money by Western Union...

[Markw]

I clean my records using an old vacum cleaner, fish net tights, a sponge, warm water and a record cleaning fluid.

Freddie Mercury is still alive then..............

[Steve G]

Lighter fuel is good at removing "Record & Tape Exchange" stickers, but little else.

Also if using this stuff on your records please WEAR some sort of GLOVES. It is a horrific concoction, not good on human hands at all.

[Guest martyn]

When I was working in Lloret (Spain) in the 80s all the pubs & disco's used pure alchohol to clean their records ( bought from the chemist) . It worked well from what I remember without causing damage.

[boba]

When I was working in Lloret (Spain) in the 80s all the pubs & disco's used pure alchohol to clean their records ( bought from the chemist) . It worked well from what I remember without causing damage.

One of the main things I use is isopropyl alcohol. I've heard people argue that it removes some sort of layer of lubricant or something like that that is on LPs as part of the manufacturing process but I doubt that's an issue for an old 45.

Be careful not to use it on an acetate or a shellac 78.

[p0stscript]

When I was working in Lloret (Spain) in the 80s all the pubs & disco's used pure alchohol to clean their records ( bought from the chemist) . It worked well from what I remember without causing damage.

I understand alcohol is the primary ingredient of most record cleaning solutions but it is recommended to use Isopropyl which is 90% alcohol or higher and NOT use rubbing alcohol or witch hazel as they contain additives that can harm the records.

[boba]

I understand alcohol is the primary ingredient of most record cleaning solutions but it is recommended to use Isopropyl which is 90% alcohol or higher and NOT use rubbing alcohol or witch hazel as they contain additives that can harm the records.

Straight 90% or higher ispropyl alcohol plus a lint-free cloth will pretty quickly remove paint by the way.

Also, soap and water remove certain things that rubbing alcohol doesn't, so if you have a really dirty record do both. Make sure to rinse or scrub with regular water afterwards though because soap will leave gunk in the grooves if not washed off.

Edited March 9, 2012 by boba

[Guest allnightandy]

I clean my records using an old vacum cleaner, fish net tights, a sponge, warm water and a record cleaning fluid.

It's funny i usually clean the wife the same way ! LoL

[boba]

It's funny i usually clean the wife the same way ! LoL

it's awesome how you're the person liking a post saying I don't contribute to the site

[Guest allnightandy]

it's awesome how you're the person liking a post saying I don't contribute to the site

What the hell are you on ?

[SLAMMINSOUL]

Hi Clint, Thought you might have been at Carls do on Friday night!! Atb John.

Sorry John, hope all of you guys are keeping good! Hav'nt been over in a while! Hopefuly sometime soon me thinks ? ? ?

Atb

Clint

[p0stscript]

Straight 90% or higher ispropyl alcohol plus a lint-free cloth will pretty quickly remove paint by the way.

Also, soap and water remove certain things that rubbing alcohol doesn't, so if you have a really dirty record do both. Make sure to rinse or scrub with regular water afterwards though because soap will leave gunk in the grooves if not washed off.

and distilled water even better if you live in a hard water area.

[Des Crombie]

at that point I think you should just invest in a VPI, nitty gritty, okki nokki, or other similar cleaner

Yes Boba you have a point but I keep spending all my money on dirty records that I cant afford a proper record cleaner. Honestly the vacum does just as well. Getting the fish nets off the wife is the biggest problem.

[Des Crombie]

Freddie Mercury is still alive then..............

PMSL brilliant - I want to break free.........

[boba]

and distilled water even better if you live in a hard water area.

true, I should have been more specific, I just meant "water" (versus water mixed with something else, which is what the "regular" is) but distilled is much clearer. thanks.

[boba]

Yes Boba you have a point but I keep spending all my money on dirty records that I cant afford a proper record cleaner. Honestly the vacum does just as well. Getting the fish nets off the wife is the biggest problem.

yeah, I think a VPI-type machine is more needed for LPs which are much harder to manually clean. I was just suggesting that if you're doing almost all the same things the machine does, to get one. If you're only buying cheap records, I agree it's not worth it, but if you buy more expensive ones (which cost more than the machine) it's probably worth the investment.

[Gary Brown]

Also, I would inspect any records you got from that dealer for an annoying weird / unnatural shine.

I hate dealers who polish records or shine them and think they're so slick and nobody will notice... They're destroying the records in an attempt to trick people to getting higher profits.

Ive got a 45 that you can see your face in.... plays rubbish. The shine is so deep it looks lacquered on. I might try cleaning it.... with Nitromors!

[boba]

Ive got a 45 that you can see your face in.... plays rubbish. The shine is so deep it looks lacquered on. I might try cleaning it.... with Nitromors!

I've actually found more and more sellers polishing their records. it's terrible, do they think buyers can't tell? Some polish it down to a perfect shine with no visible scratches and you can't even hear the music because there's so much noise. I got burned recently by a couple of arizona sellers and even a younger (my age) california seller.