Cleaning Vinyl

Subject: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Doc John
Date: 07 Apr 08 - 11:52 AM

I've been transfering material from my LP, some of which date back 50 years, to CD and wonder if anyone can advise me on the best way to clean them. The static is a real problem. I have an old 'record cleaning cloth' which the instructions advised dampening if it had dried out; well, I did this and now the grooves of one of the LP are full of 'mud'! Does anyone know how I can recover it please? It's one of the 'Long Harvest' so I'm pretty cross at my stupidity!
Thanks for any help.
Doc John

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 07 Apr 08 - 12:03 PM

washing up liquid and gentle running water. Also try playing while still wet, this reduces surface noise considerably.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: GLoux
Date: 07 Apr 08 - 12:07 PM

I did a google search on "cleaning vinyl records" and found...

From: http://members.tripod.com/~Vinylville/clean-2.html

Care Of LPs, 45s And Other Vinyl Records

Most LPs and singles released after the early fifties are composed of polyvinyl materials and are more durable than it's predecessors. When
cleaning vinyl records, I recommend a 50/50 solution of isopropyl alcohol (70% by Vol.) or denatured alcohol (fewer impurities) and filtered or distilled water (again, fewer impurities). A few claim that alcohol is damaging to vinyl... 70% or more by volume strength and continual contact for a long period of time, maybe... but not in the recommended dilution. Alcohol is water soluble and leaves little or no residue. A mild detergent, such as Johnson and Johnson Baby Bath, can be used in small amounts with water with no rinsing necessary. Photo Flo is a wetting agent used in photography to help reduce water spots and marks during the rinsing of negatives. A couple of drops in the above solutions also help in reducing residual deposits.

The solution should be applied with a soft, clean washcloth, wiping in a circular motion with the grooves. Rinse the cloth often in the solution and replace with a fresh mixture when needed. I recommend thoroughly drying the record with a soft, clean towel... this further reduces residue left behind. Try not to get the labels wet.

Dirty covers and labels are best left alone. If the cover is laminated or glossy, a damp towel can be used... A mild furniture polish does nicely too. Marks or writing on the cover may be able to be removed with a rubber eraser. Lighter fluid (naphtha) or even hair spray works great on pen marks. Permanent marker can be removed by marking over it with a dry erase marker, then wipe with a dry cloth... It really works! Stickers, labels, tape and such can be removed by heating the area with a hair dryer. The heat breaks down the adhesive and makes it softer and easier to remove sticker and all
without a great risk of damaging the cover or sleeve. Sticker residue can be removed with most citus-based cleaners or lighter fluid (naphtha). Again, I stress that these only work well on glossy covers. Matte finish cover and label marks are usually set. You stand a chance of removing part of the print or color and making the situation worse.


Ken's Music Library
#0308
May be freely distributed... Please advise of any additions or corrections...
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Bert
Date: 07 Apr 08 - 01:05 PM

I saw on TV recently where they recommended a fifty fifty mixture of triple distilled vodka and distilled water.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Apr 08 - 01:24 PM

There was a long thread here on mudcat, but I can't find it. Good suggestions!
Can anyone help locate it?

One can clean with mild detergent and water (I use distilled from the grocer-drug store), rinse with distilled. Use soft clean cloths.

If the record is fairly clean, or after washing, I dampen surface slightly with a distilled water mist spray, (drops or excess water removed with clean soft cloth) put it on the turntable and remove dust from grooves with a soft artists brush as the record revolves (I do this before playing any lp in my collection).

When washing, keep the label dry or it may crinkle, etc.
Store records in clean sleeves.

I have never used solvents (alcohol, etc.), so I can't comment on them.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: autolycus
Date: 07 Apr 08 - 03:06 PM

As I said on the earlier thread, what worked for me was very lukewarm water, a smidgeon of washing-up liquid, and a soft old toothbrush.

After, the LPs dried in next-to-no time on the draining board.


And thanks to DJs, factory-fresh inner sleeves are easily available.


Ivor

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Folkiedave
Date: 07 Apr 08 - 04:19 PM

There aare a number of machines on the market - if cost is not a problem or there are a lot of vinyl records.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: The Doctor
Date: 08 Apr 08 - 04:52 AM

There is also a manual cleaner called Disco-Antistat, made by Knosti. It's a trough with built in cleaning brush and spindle which holds the disc and protects the label, a litre bottle of cleaning fluid, and a drying rack. It's worked very well so far, and cost me about £45 complete a couple of years ago. I've just bought a second bottle of fluid, after cleaning several dozen discs. Several companies supply it. Just google 'knosti'.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Gurney
Date: 08 Apr 08 - 07:51 PM

There is, -or was,- a species of brush for the job. Mine is a Discwasher and I suppose it is English, from the spelling.
It is a block of wood (looks like Teak) with a Moquette-type fabric affixed. The fabric is biased at about 45degrees, not directly up from the material. It is used 'wet' with cleaning solution (long gone. I use isopropyl now) and with the 'bristles' scrubbing into the groove.

The same sort of 'brush' is used to remove lint from clothing.

It was expensive when I bought it.

A sound expert told me long ago that you could also run the stylus in a groove wet with isopropyl, which cuts out some of the dust-crackle.
I've done it, using an artist's paintbrush. Tedious, but it works.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: johnross
Date: 08 Apr 08 - 10:30 PM

Record washing machines are expensive (my VPI sells for about $500), but if you have a large collection of old records, it's worth the investment. The improvement in sound quality is tremendous.

The mmachines all work in a similar manner. Brush on the cleaning fluid, and then let the machine vacuum the crud out of the grooves.

If you can't afford a michine, use cleaning fluid (Disc Doctor and Record Research are two good brands) and wipe the disc with a lint-free towel. Or rig up a shop-vac to suck the fluid out of the grooves.

If you want to make your own fluid, the Library of Congress has a recipe that is essentially three parts distilled water, one part lab-grade isopropyl alcohol (not drugstore stuff, 95%+), with a couple of drops of tergitol or some other surfactant.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 12:03 AM

Many years ago there was a little plastic arm that could be mounted on the side of the turntable. It had a little piece of that red 'lint pad' stuff that was supposed to pick up most of the crap out of the groove.


Ohhh,
La la la la la la la...
When I'm cleaning Vinyl...

Sorry...

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Slag
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 12:25 AM

The solution I use for telescope mirrors and lenses is 4 oz. of Wood alcohol to a half gallon of distilled water with ONE drop of liquid dishwashing detergent to break the surface tension. This is a great cleaning solution for vinyl and CDs; great for windows to but the thing you have to be careful of is anything made of rubber such as weather stripping around windows, etc. as alcohol disintegrates rubber.

Use an old emptied and cleaned out spray bottle for application. If the grooves are "muddied" use a stream on th grooves. Pat dry with a clean 100% soft cotton cloth to dry (Tee-shirt material).

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Gurney
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 03:15 AM

johnross, vacuuming alcohol solutions could be somewhat dangerous in the type of machine where the air passes through the motor, as it does on some. Might get a 'WUFF' and need new eyebrows. Would be OK with a weak tincture like Slags, I should think, but I'd try it with a blowlamp first.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 05:03 PM

Foolestroupe, there was indeed - it was called a "Dustbug", de rigeur on transcription decks from the sixties onwards. If you look on Ebay you may well find them yet. I think they were made by a company called Watts.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: pdq
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 05:29 PM

If you have several hundred records that are important to you, go to an audiphile store and buy the most expensive record cleaning machine you can afford. No reason to abuse thousands of dollars worth of records with a $3 pad and some soap.

Here is another option...

                                             make one

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Gurney
Date: 09 Apr 08 - 05:40 PM

Love that, pdq.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: gnu
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 06:35 PM

THANK YOU BEER! for the link.

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 06:49 PM

The Dustbug - forgot all about that! :-)

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: Beer
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 07:13 PM

Didn't realize there was a thread on this topic.
Adrien

Subject: RE: Cleaning Vinyl
From: GUEST,Charles Macfarlane
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 07:26 PM

This page on my website will probably be of interest.

Vinyl Restoration

Don't use tap-water, with or without anything like washing-up liquid, unless you know that you live in a soft water area. Over much of the southern UK tap water is sourced from chalk downland, and is very hard. Using such tap water to clean vinyls is likely to leave limescale on them.

Distilled water, however, is fine. My vinyl cleaning machine recommends a 1:4 solution of Isopropyl Alcohol, which means one part IPA to 4 parts distilled water, or so I believe - schoolboy chemistry is a very distant memory.