Cleaning Records

[Labeat]

Some rather sophisticated response on here.

A simple method would be..... Bib Groovespray record cleaner, 2 or 3 squirts dried off with kitchen towel.

www.b-tech-int.com   or, if you see him out.... Roger Banks

[Guest Copywrightcat]

A very interesting thread with some very unusual methods.. With Rare Soul Vinyl prices increasing here's my input

 

In my opinion & after researching this subject for some time my advice is avoid abrasives & solvents tap water is ok as a cleaner but needs to be rinsed afterwards as the lime and minerals can be harmful ...This is a more safe and trusted formula used by many and proved safe .

 

Using warm tap water and a small amount of washing up liquid and a good quality paint brush clean the album/single using a circular motion with the grooves & not across like a cd then ..

 

Now Mix 75% Distilled water the purist you can purchase I personally use 90% pure with 25% Isopropyl with a couple of drops of a wetting agent used in the photography industry this stops the mix beading (ive personally used washing up liquid without additives as a wetting solution ) Use a good quality paint brush to finish clean the same as above the cleaning mix will evaporate  quickly then just stand in a clean plastic dish rack or lay on a clean microfibre coth to dry store back in a new sleeve this process only needs to done occasionaly after which you can just use a good quality carbon record cleaning brush for removing dust ..  

The obvious problem is the " labels " & keeping them dry  I have made a label protector  I can post up some pictures if you are intrested  .."Happy Cleaning !"

[Kevinkent]

All my vinyl gets the Amberclens treatment on arrival and I've been recommending it for years. 

 

I recently bought a really cheap crackly G graded Deena Johnson demo as I reckoned it was muck in the grooves rather than wear.  A quick spay of this stuff and wipe with a soft cloth and it played perfect. No hiss, no crackle, and it even cleaned the grime off the label.

 

Amberclens was one of a number of products tested at a forensic laboratory for quick and easy cleaning of CSI type equipment.  It was important than no traces (and we're talking nanogrammes) of contamination were able to be transferred from one crime scene to another. Amberclens was by far the most effective stuff tested.

 

 - Kev

[Quinvy]

Something I'd also recommend buying is an Onzow Zerodust stylus cleaner. Really works.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B0075KTY3M

Forty quid!! What's it made from Unicorn semen?

Edited March 14, 2015 by Quinvy

[Garethx]

Can be bought on ebay for around £18 including postage from Japan.

[Shelly74]

ok I've read what others have said on this, not a person who personally collects vinyl but an older sister who was told a few years back, simply use soapy water? easy solution that works? YES it does and costs nothing but bubbles??? taking the pee you know what I'm saying xx

[Stompingsevens]

The Loricaft cleaning machine is by far the best IMO, it works the muck from deep in the grooves and then 'hoovers' it out, you can actually see the results by the residue that is collected in the 'waste jar' which is like a fine muddy silt. Your records will definitely sound better, if you're serious about old records it's a great investment. 

[Tiberius]

Something I'd also recommend buying is an Onzow Zerodust stylus cleaner. Really works.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B0075KTY3M

I looked at that stuff but as I'm a tight git I ended up buying this -

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MCRU-STYLUS-CLEANING-PUTTY-HI-FI-CHOICE-RECOMMENDED-/350917688796?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item51b452fddc

 

I only use it infrequently and I think it works, although I've not used it enough to say if there could be a placebo effect going on.  It's actually gone up in price since I bought mine but at £8 is worth a try.

 

Edit:  It's quite likely that this is the same material -

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bergeon-Rodico-6033-original-cleaning-putty-for-watches-other-parts-PCBs-/200946631489

Edited March 14, 2015 by tiberius

[Garethx]

Rodico is used by watchmakers to hold movement parts, hand-sets etc. I wonder if it wouldn't be too 'sticky' for a stylus although the basic idea looks the same. The Onzow is a gel. 

[Quinvy]

I looked at that stuff but as I'm a tight git I ended up buying this -

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MCRU-STYLUS-CLEANING-PUTTY-HI-FI-CHOICE-RECOMMENDED-/350917688796?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item51b452fddc

 

I only use it infrequently and I think it works, although I've not used it enough to say if there could be a placebo effect going on.  It's actually gone up in price since I bought mine but at £8 is worth a try.

 

Edit:  It's quite likely that this is the same material -

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bergeon-Rodico-6033-original-cleaning-putty-for-watches-other-parts-PCBs-/200946631489

Thanks for that, much more like it price wise. The other one is taking the p***. I will certainly try it now.

[Tiberius]

Thanks for that, much more like it price wise. The other one is taking the p***. I will certainly try it now.

It goes without saying that if you go down this route exercise some caution when applying the stylus tip to the putty as too much lateral movement could potentially damage your stylus at the mounting/cantilever.  I guess that would be one advantage of the gel based Onzow.  I just allow only the tip to gently mark the putty then lift and repeat a couple of times whist I bear the mass of the tone arm.

Search the net and you'll find every method under the sun debated on numerous forums...........a bit like methods for record cleaning.

[Guest Copywrightcat]

Forget the expensive Stylus Cleaners ... Proven & Best kept Secret ;

 

 

https://www.high-endaudio.com/Magic.html

 

Happy Cleaning 

[Garethx]

Tried the Magic Eraser as a stylus cleaner today as per the above method and have to say it works very well, particularly in conjunction with the Onzow.

Edited March 15, 2015 by garethx

[Geordiejohnson]

white board cleaner is good and totally harmless... worked in the polymer industry for years, down to how to degrade plastics PVAs pvc's llpe ldpe HDPE etc etc ... know all about the good the bad and ugly for vinyl and styrene,

DONT use WD 40 as someone mentioned in a different thread, shampoos and detergents can, over time, do damage so use diluted very weak detergents and rinse well if your in a hard water area try and use distilled water, lime scale is a killer  isopropyl posts are spot on...

 

I saw and did studies on Landfill liners that rotted away using detergents boot polish and shampoos etc etc i now treat my vinyl with ultra care

 

geeoooordie

Edited March 15, 2015 by geordiejohnson

[Quinvy]

Well I sent off for some Amberclens and a pack of deluxe micro fibre cloths.

 

Firstly, it stinks.

Secondly, it didn't improve the sound quality by much.

Thirdly, it leaves a residue on the vinyl.

Fourthly, it's expensive

Lastly, I won't be using it again.

 

Back to the hot water with Fairy Liquid and a dry off with Plenty kitchen towel for this child.

Doesn't stink

Improves the sound massively 

Leaves the vinyl perfectly clean

Costs begger all

Result, perfect records.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Quinvy

[Paul Capon]

Diluted washing up liquid on one of those square anti-static record cleaning blocks work well  They have a directional baise in the cloth on the pad that gets into the grooves. For really dirty records I've used Isopropyl alcohol (it's actually the alcohol used in  Tippex correction fluid!).  I've played the record while it's wet with the isopropyl and that really draws the crap out of the grooves and then give it the washing up liquid / warm water treatment.

[Gouch]

Troop;

Very informative this, for the past 30 years or so Iv sprayed the playing surface with Mr Muscle window cleaner having covered the label with a beer mat cut to size, then a cotton cloth soaked in warm water & Fairy liquid is used to wipe off the cleaner. The record is then placed into a paper sleeve and left for a couple of hours, I have never damaged any record or label and for the most part the quality of the sound has been enhanced.

Now all I have to do is sort out a method of sorting out warps, tried everything nothing works consistently.

 

Gouch

[Chris L]

58 minutes ago, Gouch said:

Troop;

Now all I have to do is sort out a method of sorting out warps, tried everything nothing works consistently.

Gouch

You have to very careful when trying to fix a warp, if it's styrene forget it. There are a gaggle of "expert" guides how to do it. My advice, if it plays OK, leave it, if it can't play then make any unwarping decision carefully, good luck.

[Ian Stacey]

 I am surprised you don't use the tried & tested method of spreading a thin layer of PVA  (artists or decorators works best ).on to the record up to the beginning of the run out grooves  . waiting for it to dry completely the peel of like a face mask  no water no chemical  just plain cheap PVA go to utube for film of method .

 I do that once when I buy them if they are pre  owned . really cheap 100% clean no damage from minerals.  enjoy the sun  sounds & sunday  

[Billy Jo Jim Bob]

10 minutes ago, redditchcrew said:

 I am surprised you don't use the tried & tested method of spreading a thin layer of PVA  (artists or decorators works best ).on to the record up to the beginning of the run out grooves  . waiting for it to dry completely the peel of like a face mask  no water no chemical  just plain cheap PVA go to utube for film of method .

 I do that once when I buy them if they are pre  owned . really cheap 100% clean no damage from minerals.  enjoy the sun  sounds & sunday  

Tried that. I would say the 45 played better, but was left with 'grey grooves' and some residue I couldn't get rid of.

[Richard]

get one of these bad boys
 

 

[Richard]

https://thevinylfactory.com/features/the-8-best-record-cleaning-machines-for-the-true-vinyl-connossieur/ 

 

[Geeselad]

I've been told white dog excrement works but yet to try it myself. Any dirty b#####d own up to using this method? If so you're no friend of mine. Lol