sjfloat
Super Member
I'd like to thank whomever made this a sticky. THANK YOU!
Hmm. I thought it felt a little tackier.
I'd like to thank whomever made this a sticky. THANK YOU!
Of the thousand or so records I have, experimenting cleaning them based on other people's choice and my own has been fun and tiresome. Cleaning a crate a used records takes a day. I mean clean and sanitize the record, cover, pages, everything- each one hand by hand. I have asthma and allergies and lived (short lived) in a home in Colorado that was partially damaged by a rare flooding in 1995 or 96. So I'm anal and don't want strangers dust particles/mold/whatever in my home disrupting my ecosystem. I'm a trained chef too.
All in all, here is my kit and recipe to clean records.........
Short version- spray paper towel with sanitizer rinse and wipe jacket/cover in one direction. Use a dry paper towel to remove any solution and gunk. Repeat step as needed. Clean the inside too. Place cover/jacket in sunlight (not the record). The actual record..Spray paper towel then wipe following the groves/edges and label. Solution will evaporate fast. When dry use the Swiffer duster. Now the record should appear glistening. Then place record into new/ clean inner sleeve.
Long version with details. Please read.
Tools:
1. Spray bottle with Solution.
I use a 32 ounce spray bottle filled with 31oz. distilled water with 1/2oz. concentrated "First Street " brand Sanitizer Rinse (Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride- 5.0% and Alkyl dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium -5.0% and inert ingredients-90.0%) [disinfectant-sanitizer, fungicide-virucide].
2. Target store brand paper towels.
They are cloth like. Soft and minimal paper towel dust.
3. Swiffer brand dusters.
4. Oreck brand hand held vacuum. As needed.
5. Wood glue type 2. As needed.
6. Sunlight. As needed.
7. Portable beach/camping chair. As needed.
8. Disposable gloves. Mandatory. Best to use non-powder style.
9. Dust mask and protective eyewear. Mandatory. Common sense. I don't want to breath the stuff I'm trying to remove.
Method:
1. Find a place to work. Pull up a chair, it gonna been awhile. Enjoy a beer and play music. Wear gloves.
2. Vacuum album cover and record if needed. Place some fingers on the tip of vacuum to act as a buffer when using on the record.
3. Spray solution on paper towel till moist, not wet! (Caution: don't say the word 'moist' in the company of any females.)
4. Remove record from jacket covers. Wipe quickly in one direction cover to remove mold and dirt. Repeat step with a newly sprayed clean paper towel. Wipe inside and pages if applicable. Place cover in sunlight.
For the record-Wipe gently around with the grooves and outer edge and label. Solution will attract and pull dirt out then solution will quickly evaporate leaving the record clean and dry. Do not wipe perpendicular to the grooves. For seriously dirty records, use wood glue and that technique first.
5. If particles are remaining then use the Swiffer duster, wipe also in accordance with the grooves.
6. Place record in new sleeve or cleaned sleeve. Then back into the cleaned jacket. Then place into clean outer protector.
Total cost of spray bottle, gallon of First Street sanitizer, Swiffer refills, disposable gloves, dust mask, pack of paper towels, a gallon of distilled water, and type 2 wood glue.....around $30.
It sounds like a lot of effort and time, but it's not. However it's worth it and cheap to do.
Enjoy.
Nice writeup.
I can't find any reference to the "First Street" you mention. Do you know of a substitute?
Conditioning shampoo? Any experience with, or thoughts about, this?
https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=79003
Gave this a try a couple nights ago. I like the results. Much quieter records. I'm considering give Triton a shot too.
I read the first couple pages of that thread. What shampoo/conditioner did you use, and how? The guy's post seems a bit bold, and I'm not completely convinced of his arguments about various other methods.
I have several old albums that were treated with a protector product call "Lifesaver" by Protec back in the early 80's. They sounded very good then, and for many years after, but now it is easy to tell the ones that had this applied as they now have a high noise floor. It is sharper than normal surface noise. Normal cleaning has not helped. Has anyone had any experience remove said treatments, or am I screwed?
Well, guys and gals, I'd have NEVER thunk this would have worked, but I have proof.
I have a battered copy of "Stingray" by Joe Cocker. Track one, "The Jealous Kind" looks like someone mashed many of the grooves down. Scratches and pops. Needle always leaping out of the grooves.
I figured, what the hell. I've read about sandpaper to knock off those tabs at the TOP of the groove, and thought perhaps a melamine pad (MAGIC ERASER) might knock that off.
Now remember, this was an album that I'd given up on.
I went lightly, then with increasing pressure around the entire side one. Probably made about 8-10 full passes.
As I type, I'm enjoying the late Mr. Cocker. Still has a click or two, but is easily tracking and sounding just fine.
Caveats - DO NOT DO THIS TO GOOD VINYL, only those that are a loss, anyway.
What a funny and fun hobby this is.