In order to enjoy using your vinyl records, you must take care of their cleanliness. Clean it regularly and they will give you the best results. If the vinyl records get messy they sound bad.
They are not good for the turntable as well because they put stress on the pointer which may reduce its lifespan. So the goal here is to show you how to clean vinyl records?
Vinyl records have a tendency to get dirty easily. Fingerprints, dust, static, and scratches can create an unwanted noise when played.
Noise can be so loud at times, that it may become unbearable to hear the audiophile format.
Besides, oil from your hands can eat at the outside of vinyl, bringing the estimation of a record down.
I will guide you in detail about how to clean vinyl records? Follow these rules on the best way to clean vinyl records and you will not need to worry about residue or fingerprints.
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Storage and Handling of Vinyl Records
Storing and handling the vinyl records properly can help reduce the need for their cleaning. You should store your vinyl records in plastic sleeves.
Avoid storing them in paper sleeves, because they can damage records chemically. Continuously store your records vertically and don’t crush them together excessively close.
Never lay them level and stack them on top of one another. This can twist them. The main guideline when dealing with records is to not touch the surface.
You should touch them only where the label is, and on the external part of it. So that oil and dirt don’t stick on it. The most ideal approach to hold a record is with two hands outwardly edges.
In a perfect world, you should give your records a speedy clean with a carbon fiber brush (or an appropriate other option, similar to the materials you use to clean glasses or phone screens) each time you play them, once before playing and one time after.
At last, it is vital to keep the pointer clean. Since it runs along the notches of the records, it gets any dust found there. You need to clean it after using it, to keep it from making any harm to your vinyl.
Steps to Clean Vinyl Records
- Eliminate dirt and static with a record brush.
- See the record for noticeable blemishes.
- Shower cleaning solution where required.
- Clean using a circular motion.
- Wipe and dry the record.
- Store vinyl records properly to avoid future issues.
Eliminate Dirt and Static with a Record Blush
Eliminating residue and static prior to utilizing a fluid arrangement will make your life a lot simpler.
Utilize long, delicate brush strokes with an assigned apparatus to ensure you are eliminating debris without hurting the vinyl surface.
There are a lot of brushes out there, however, I can actually vouch for Audioquest’s Anti-Static Record Brush, which has served me well throughout the long term.
See the Record for Noticeable Blemishes
Under a delicate, brilliant light, see the surface for any stains, smears, and fingerprints. These trouble spots will require some adoration and consideration.
At times, particularly when purchasing bunches of utilized vinyl, the whole record may require a clean.
Shower Cleaning Solution where Required
Whenever, you have distinguished segments of a vinyl record that require serious cleaning, straightforwardly apply a cleaning liquid.
Be very mindful so as to try not to contact the name with the fluid of any sort, as this can make the epoxy relax and the label stain.
Cleaning Arrangement Suggestions
Many are part of what vinyl record cleaning arrangement works best and which ones to keep away from.
There are a lot of choices to browse, including a committed arrangement for example, VPI record cleaning liquid, the client made inventions like the soapy combination of deionized water .5% Tergitol 15-S-7 utilized by the Library Of Congress, or in a real sense simply Dawn dish cleanser (go with the blue kind over green) blended in with water.
Here is Discogs’ one next to the other trial of numerous mainstream custom-made and expert cleaning solutions.
Clean using Circular Motion
When the cleaning liquid is on the outside of the record, apply pressure in a circular motion with a clean microfiber or cotton material. This will help rub away the flaws.
Make certain to stay away from the label no matter what because these can get harmed relying upon the cleaning solution you are utilizing.
Wipe and Dry the Record
Utilizing a spray bottle, cautiously wash away any excess cleaning liquid left on it. Dry the record totally utilizing a clean material, not the same as the one that was utilized to wipe away the imperfections, prior to preparing to store it.
Now simultaneously, you’ll need to be mindful so as not to leave any new fingerprints. Just handle the vinyl record by the edges or mark.
These were few ways to clean vinyl records by hand. I will guide you in detail about how to clean vinyl records using other methods as well.
Other methods include cleaning vinyl records with the vacuum cleaner and record washer. You can easily clean the vinyl records using these two methods as well.
Cleaning Vinyl Record with a Vacuum Cleaner
Maybe the most ideal approach to clean your vinyl records is with a vacuum-fueled vinyl record cleaner.
The advantage of a vacuum cleaner made explicitly for cleaning vinyl records is that it sucks up the soil and residue that has subsided into the scores of the vinyl while at the same time limiting pressing factor and actual contact with the fragile record itself.
I am not suggesting you use a typical vacuum cleaner on your records. There are many vacuum machines available that are made to clean vinyl records however you’ll get the most value for your money from the Record Doctor V Record Cleaning Machine.
There are the latest models out there – including the Pro-Ject Vinyl Cleaner VC-E – yet they’re more than twice the cost, however, give similar outcomes. So this was the method of how to clean vinyl records with a vacuum.
Cleaning Vinyl Record with Record Washer
If you would prefer not to use a vacuum cleaner for your records, you can go with a less extravagant record washer. I like the starter pack from Spin-Clean.
It’s a manual framework made out of brushes and rollers that uses a solution that comes with it, to clean your records.
You basically embed the record into the cleaner, turn it by hand a couple of twirls, and you’re finished.
It includes somewhat more tension on your records so it’s not exactly as ideal as the vacuum-based frameworks however it’s enough for most collectors.
FAQ’s Related to Vinyl Record
Is it alright to clean vinyl records with liquor?
The appropriate response relies upon who you ask, however, by and large, the agreement all through the business is to continue with alert.
Some proof seems to help the thought that pure liquor can harm the record grooves. In particular, isopropyl liquor can eliminate plasticizers from the vinyl and make the section weak.
The jury may stay open on this theme, however, generally speaking, I instruct readers to stay away from any record cleaning solution that contains a lot of isopropyl liquor.
What can you clean vinyl records with?
In case you’re new to vinyl records, you may be uncertain of what items you can securely use to clean vinyl.
The short answer is that you ought to consistently utilize items and cleaning liquids that are planned explicitly for vinyl records.
Except if you are a talented chemist (or truly understand what you’re giving a valiant effort), stay away from homemade cleaning liquids. See the items in this article for our proposals.
How to clean vinyl records with soap and water?
Alright, so this strategy is best kept away from. The mineral stores and contaminations that homegrown tapwater abandon are a likely danger to fragile vinyl grooves.
Family cleaning items, like cleaning up fluid and Windex, ought to be avoided as they are not really ok for use on sensitive vinyl records.
Any place water is applied, (for example, when using a record cleaning machine), consistently choose refined water.
Conclusion
The ways I’ve depicted above are the most secure procedures of how to clean your vinyl records.
The web users among us may have known about a couple of other, less ordinary strategies suggested by a wide range of sources, from YouTubers to significant sites.
If you want to know more about record players check other blog posts on our website.
