$100 USD Record Cleaning Machine by Canfab3D

Maybe just try ditching the "not going to do the work for you" part in future, as that's a phrase usually used as a cop-out by someone who hasn't done the work themselves. Providing what you've derived from the thread, in conjunction with something like "there's a lot of other useful stuff in there worth reading too", would probably be more helpful. :/
 
Keep calm folks, it's only record cleaning. The consensus DIY formula from the other thread is using a solution of:
0.1-0.4% non-ionic detergent (Triton X-100 or Tergitol 15-S-9 to 15-S-5)
0.01-0.04% quaternary ammonium surfactant (e.g. from preparations like Hepastat 256)
and 0%-15% alcohol (isopropanol or ethanol....optional)
in highly purified water (distilled or DI/RO from dispensers like Whole Foods).

Ranges are given as it depends on the method/device used (lower range for ultrasonic, higher for hand washing).
Nothing has beaten this combo yet. Commercial record cleaning preparations (e.g. L'Art du Son, Record Doctor, etc.) are easier and very effective, but they do not always contain the quat for killing mold and static plus they are 100x more costly (a problem if you are filling an US tank).
Happy listening!
 
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Yeah I think the only difference is the alcohol
I just use tergikleen in a lil squirt bottle for my clean cycle then rinse in distilled water
Yes, Tergikleen is just Tergitol but also contains a preservative. In this sense, it is more similar to Ilfotol. Works well though and way better than Dawn, but issue is $/oz.
 
I use TergiKleen (10 drops per gallon distilled water) in my ultrasonic tank, followed by two reagent-grade water rinse passes on a vacuum RCM. While the seller of TergiKleen recommends against using Isopropyl, I may add some back to my ultrasonic solution, as it had done some good on earlier attempts. I'm trying to NOT have to invest in AIVS No. 15 again, as that still removed contaminants that nothing else has yet, but it's gotten quite expensive.
 
Yeah I think the only difference is the alcohol
I just use tergikleen in a lil squirt bottle for my clean cycle then rinse in distilled water
Well, I actually use a two to four step process. For a visibly clean record, I use the Tergikleen and a distilled water rinse. If a record is visibly dirty I start with Sporacidin Enzymatic mold cleaner. If as that is being vacuumed up I see fingerprints or deposits, I follow with 80/20 Iso with a drop of Dawn. Then the Tergikleen. Always a rinse at the end.

Edit: One drop of Dawn in the 32oz bottle of 80/20 (20% iso). I re-read that and realized that I didn't word it clearly. I don't want people thinking I put a drop of Dawn on the record like I'm cleaning a pan I fried bacon in.
 
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Yes, Tergikleen is just Tergitol but also contains a preservative. In this sense, it is more similar to Ilfotol. Works well though and way better than Dawn, but issue is $/oz.
The tube is (IIRC) $28, but it makes 30 gallons. I'm dirt cheap and I don't have a problem with the price at all.
 
Keep calm folks, it's only record cleaning. The consensus DIY formula from the other thread is using a solution of:
0.1-0.4% non-ionic detergent (Triton X-100 or Tergitol 15-S-7/15-S-5)
0.01-0.04% quaternary ammonium surfactant (e.g. from preparations like Hepastat 256)
and 0%-15% alcohol (isopropanol or ethanol....optional)
in highly purified water (distilled or DI/RO from dispensers like Whole Foods).

Ranges are given as it depends on the method/device used (lower range for ultrasonic, higher for hand washing).
Nothing has beaten this combo yet. Commercial record cleaning preparations (e.g. L'Art du Son, Record Doctor, etc.) are easier and very effective, but they do not always contain the quat for killing mold and static plus they are 100x more costly (a problem if you are filling an US tank).
Happy listening!

Not far off from the soup I make but you can already see the cracks that were opened up by Vince's excellent advice beginning in this thread - fact is everyone has a different opinion, philosophy and levels of experience but will end up finding what works best for them. If anyone must know what I use feel free to PM me and I will tell you my mix and procedure outside public scrutiny. I guarantee it won't be a Ta-da moment but I am happy with my choices which are somewhat limited by my location and availability of ingredients here in the Great White (in my case Green) North...
 
The tube is (IIRC) $28, but it makes 30 gallons. I'm dirt cheap and I don't have a problem with the price at all.
No worries, my only point was 100% Tergitol is $21 for 473 ml at Talas whereas Tergikleen is $26 for just 30ml. That's over 20x more expensive (4.4 cents/ml vs 87cents/ml). The math gets worse when you realize the Tergikleen is not 100%. Still, I get the convenience factor.
 
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No worries, my only point was Tergitol is $21 for 473 ml at Talas whereas Tergikleen is $26 for just 30ml. That's over 20x more expensive (4.4 cents/ml vs 87cents/ml).
Tergitol also has an incredibly short shelf life, making the full bottles of the two kinds (I thought it was 15-S-9/15-S-3, but my memory may be off) not terribly cost effective if you can't even get through 30ml total before it expires, much less 473ml. How many records do you clean per year? Also, if it's $21 per bottle ($42 for both) *PLUS* shipping, it gets even more wasteful.

TergiKleen is nice because it's a lower risk entry point to trying out cleaning with Tergitol. If you can go through enough cleaning solution to warrant the full size bottles, then yeah, it'd be a better buy, but TergiKleen still makes a LOT of cleaning solution.
 
Incredibly short shelf life? I've had a 1 L bottle of 15-s-7 and similar NP-40 in the lab for 12 years. The secondary alcohol ethoxylates are often chosen for their stability as they oxidize quite slowly. Dow touts 15-s-7 as:
  • Soluble in water
  • Soluble in chlorinated solvents and most polar organic solvents
  • Chemically stable in the presence of dilute acids, bases and salts
  • Compatible with anionic , cationic, and other nonionic surfactants

    Also, you do not need two kinds of Tergitols. In industrial applications, they are chosen for their unique properties in solubilizing specific components in specific conditions. For record cleaning, it doesn't matter, except you want to stay with the water soluble ones (15-s-5, -7, and -9.....Dow's 15-s-3 is not water soluble, yet people often refer to it). The only thing effecting some surfactants (like TritonX-100) is microbial contamination as certain fungi can use it as a carbon source. If you are using sterile techniques, this isn't an issue but if not, just keep it in the fridge or mix it with a quat.
 
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I forget where I read it, but isn't 7 or 5 a mix of 9 and 3 (or something to that effect)?

And hey, if it does actually remain effective past the listed expiration date, then awesome. At the rate I've been going, it might take me 12 years to get through just the TergiKleen amount. :p
 
No worries, my only point was 100% Tergitol is $21 for 473 ml at Talas whereas Tergikleen is $26 for just 30ml. That's over 20x more expensive (4.4 cents/ml vs 87cents/ml). The math gets worse when you realize the Tergikleen is not 100%. Still, I get the convenience factor.
Especially with a special needs son. I can't turn my kitchen into a chemistry lab. Which is also a big part of the reason I didn't bother with that other thread.
 
The Tergitols are distinguished by the length of the carbon chain tails and branches. It is not feasible to isolate a specific size so each type of Tergitol contains a range of molecules and there is some overlap. Each type has specific properties where critical micelle concentration and water solubility are our biggest concerns. So, for example, 15-S-5 is especially effective at solubilizing oils but it is only miscible in water. Regardless, the Tergikleen is, as you say, equally effective and cost isn't always a factor for moderate batches. For those with 10L US tanks and 1000's of LPs, it can come into play.

Getting WAY off topic here so I'll stop with apologies to the OP. There are other threads mentioned previously where we can discuss this further.
 
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I forget where I read it, but isn't 7 or 5 a mix of 9 and 3 (or something to that effect)?
Yes, 3 and 9 is correct, as recommended by Collections Canada. Similar to what the LoC recommends, but based on what's available to Canadian consumers. The 15S3 tackles oil based soils, and the 15S9 tackles the water based. The 2 combined form a very effective universal cleaning solvent.
 
This is right up my alley as a casual listener for now and don't want to get too deep into it. But on those occasions I do listen to an album, it would be nice to have this on standby. Nick is quick to answer emails. Appreciated that.
 
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This is right up my alley as a casual listener for now and don't want to get too deep into it. But on those occasions I do listen to an album, it would be nice to have this on standby. Nick is quick to answer emails. Appreciated that.
The Bee Gees record I sent you was cleaned on one.
 
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