CLEANING VINYL - The AK compendium of fact, fiction and collective wisdom

Have you ever used glue to clean a record?

  • Yes

    Votes: 231 19.9%
  • No

    Votes: 927 80.1%

  • Total voters
    1,158
For those mixing their own cleaning fluids, distilled water is probably the purest available. You can buy a gallon at any Rite Aid or CVS.
 
I'm having a great time with Vince's triton recommendations, a paint pad, and my econo-wand cleaning setup. Haven't "glued" in some time, tho I still reserve it for those evil records.
 
I've been using the Spin Clean for a few years now, but not totally happy with the results and the elbow grease needed.

HOWEVER...

I just purchased the Record Doctor V and use it in conjunction with the spin clean. Results are much improved and with less time and work needed.

1 - clean with Spin Clean using their formula
2 - dry it with the Record Doctor V while wiping the edge of the record with a microfiber cloth since the vacuum doesn't reach that part
3 - put it in a new sleeve

Like I mentioned, the results are MUCH better, the Record Doctor V was definitely worth the investment!
 
What about sticks and jumps? Proper cartridge alignment can help, but sometimes there's gunk in the wax. I used a toothpick last night to free up an early UK LP pressing of DSotM. No more skip.

But I've still got a big jump in my monaural UK DECCA LP of Beggars Banquet. What works for you folks?
 
KeninDC, Vince doesn't like the acidity of titebond 2, but it has been essential for the battered vinyl I buy. I completely saved an early Rolling Stones album my buddy had (Brian Jones on the cover looks blasted, forget the name) by using the glue method.

Other than that, might see if someone nearby has an ultrasonic tank, or perhaps soak overnight in a SpinClean??
 
1 - clean with Spin Clean using their formula
2 - dry it with the Record Doctor V while wiping the edge of the record with a microfiber cloth since the vacuum doesn't reach that part
3 - put it in a new sleeve

Like I mentioned, the results are MUCH better, the Record Doctor V was definitely worth the investment!

I initially started with a similar setup, a SC and a KAB EV-1. They worked relatively well, especially on some of the used records I picked up. But my best results have come with a little work. After going through the Doin' It Wrong thread, I got some Triton concentrate and mixed the suggested solution. Now, I put the record through the SC if it's really gunky, if not, I go straight to step two. Then, I vacuum one side, flip it, then put the Triton solution on the dry side and scrub with a paint pad while vacuuming the other side. If I feel like the record warrants it, I let the solution sit for a minute and then scrub a little more. Then flip and repeat. Then I rinse with distilled water and use a separate pad to lightly scrub some more, then flip and repeat. Then I hit it with a Zero Stat and it's ready to play.

I was pretty surprised by the results. I took a few records that I had already cleaned with my previous method, and that's when I realized it wasn't doing as good a job as I'd thought. Really happy with my results and with the advice here on AK.
 
I've been very tempted to try the triton approach but as it turns out, the 5 drops of dawn, 10 drops of kodak photoflo and a 1 to 4 ratio of 99% isoprophyl alcohol to distilled water seems to have worked OK for me for the last 20 years so there is a great deal of inertia on my part to overcome. I read the mention on the other thread about the static charge from Dawn having screwed up ionic electron charges (or something like that) but it doesn't seem to be a problem here in the Pacific Northwest where I live as I don't have a problem with static @ my records. I have done the glue (titebond II) method as an experiment on a few records that were still having some pops and such and have not really noticed much improvement over my formula. I've used a Record Doctor vacuum machine for about 20 years and it is still working fine near as I can tell. I don't get any fuzz build up in my stylus so I don't think my cleaning method is leaving anything on the record.

When I hear a pop or a click its invariably some physical scratch or such in the record so I don't think any cleaning method can take scratches out but I haven't tried the ultrasonic cleaners and would love to give that a go (Don't want to spend thousands of $ to find out tho). I have found however that different cartridges and turntables and phono stages can have a significant impact on record noise. Some seem to amplify it, some diminish it substantially.
 
I've modified my cleaning method from A K reading.
Use old grounded steel Garrard TT. Alternate two cut to fit nonslip mats marked clean and dirty for first or second side cleaned. Use Spin Clean diluted distilled water in spray bottle. Use womens cotton makeup pads wet with cleaner to get heavy dirt off. Then toss after one use. 2" wide artist brushes and small paint pads to scrub. Small shop vac with microfiber cloth over mini tips, held by rubber bands. Vac dry. Repeat clean if dirty. Repeat with distilled water sprayed on to rinse. Vac dry. Into dish drainer to dry.
I replace old dusty liners with nice plastic liners. I then know which records have been cleaned.
 
Last edited:
You know what...

All I can say is that the liquid dishwashing soap used like Dawn shouldn't be used because of the sulphates. Both Joy and Ajax liquid dishwashing soaps are biodegradable and have no influence on the condition of the vinyl over time. I don't know of any brushes that are even safe enough to use....absolutely safe enough !
 
You know what...

All I can say is that the liquid dishwashing soap used like Dawn shouldn't be used because of the sulphates. Both Joy and Ajax liquid dishwashing soaps are biodegradable and have no influence on the condition of the vinyl over time. I don't know of any brushes that are even safe enough to use....absolutely safe enough !

All those detergents use the same anionic detergent. Yes, it is SDS and yes, it is biodegradable. It does no harm to the record except that it can leave a charged surface behind (non-ionic detergents like Tergitol do not). None of the products you listed contain phosphates, which are more problematic. All of them have perfumes and dyes that probably shouldn't be used as they provide no benefit and they contain salts that can leave residues. We're not washing dishes here, so why not choose a pure, non-ionic detergent that's better suited for the job?
 
IMO, making up my own DIY cleaning solution is a lot of trouble when I can buy at reasonable price. I asume they have chemist's with more experience than I. That is why I just picked out the Spin Clean fluid and dilute to thier spec.
 
Last edited:
All those detergents use the same anionic detergent. Yes, it is SDS and yes, it is biodegradable. It does no harm to the record except that it can leave a charged surface behind (non-ionic detergents like Tergitol do not). None of the products you listed contain phosphates, which are more problematic. All of them have perfumes and dyes that probably shouldn't be used as they provide no benefit and they contain salts that can leave residues. We're not washing dishes here, so why not choose a pure, non-ionic detergent that's better suited for the job?

Ok...

Since liquid Joy or Ajax has no sulphates and is completely biodegradable which means zero residue to impact the recorded surface, what conditions may prove problematic ??? Wouldn't the interaction between the material and the solution depend on the amount of solution used over time ??? Then of course the properly mixed solution with trace elements of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water be neutral not impacting the vinyl in anyway and is the oldest proven method of cleaning vinyl. I haven't had a problem with any kind of static charge since my turntable is double grounded, one ground to the amplication source, with the amplication source which is grounded and a second ground from the TT to an unused wall socket. Whenever a person has a device made from a hard material and slides it upon a polished surface of a completely different material at a high rate of speed per second there is going to be a created static charge. That's why grounding equipment is so terribly important Old Chap. Then depending on the design of the TT motor or how well the TT motor is grounded you may even get more static since the stylus acts like a ground leading to the amp. A belt driven TT has less of an amount of static coming from its motor do to better motor isolation of using a belt reducing direct contact in ways not possible for a direct-drive TT. But again, that's why we ground the hell out of equipment. There are allot of funny ideas being past off as reality....
 
Last edited:
Ok...

Since liquid Joy or Ajax has no sulphates and is completely biodegradable which means zero residue to impact the recorded surface, what conditions may prove problematic ??? Wouldn't the interaction between the material and the solution depend on the amount of solution used over time ??? Then of course the properly mixed solution with trace elements of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water be neutral not impacting the vinyl in anyway and is the oldest proven method of cleaning vinyl. I haven't had a problem with any kind of static charge since my turntable is double grounded, one ground to the amplication source, with the amplication source which is grounded and a second ground from the TT to an unused wall socket. Whenever a person has a device made from a hard material and slides it upon a polished surface of a completely different material at a high rate of speed per second there is going to be a created static charge. That's why grounding equipment is so terribly important Old Chap. Then depending on the design of the TT motor or how well the TT motor is grounded you may even get more static since the stylus acts like a ground leading to the amp. A belt driven TT has less of an amount of static coming from its motor do to better motor isolation of using a belt reducing direct contact in ways not possible for a direct-drive TT. But again, that's why we ground the hell out of equipment. There are allot of funny ideas being past off as reality....

Sorry, I'm completely missing your point. The PVA-PVC matrix is an insulator. Static charge on the record surface has nothing to do with turntable grounding. It has everything to do on how the record is handled. Furthermore, biodegradability has nothing to do with residue left behind. It merely defines a substance that can be degraded in the environment (e.g. enzymatic digestion by microorganisms). Time is not a real factor...put oil on your hand and tell me how long it takes to coat the skin. Detergents by their vary nature (containing long aliphatic chains) form a molecular layer on surfaces that remains even after washing with water (or most hydrophilic solvents). This can be beneficial as it can provide lubrication. It can detrimental if it carries a charge (increasing susceptibility to static buildup). These phenomena are unrelated to turntable grounding.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom