Cleaning vinyl

[Vintagecasey]

I am currently using a spin clean to clean my records, but I'm thinking of buying an ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning my vinyl. One question I have is I've read that ultrasonic cleaners will not clean fingerprints off of vinyl. I purchase a lot of my vinyl used and wonder if ultrasonic cleaners don't take off fingerprints and oils how are people who own ultrasonic cleaners cleaning the fingerprints off? Thanks

 

[dmar]

No. Prints & oils have to be cleaned before Ultrasonic cleaning.

 

[Vintagecasey]

What "cleaning agent" is being used to clean them before the ultrasonic cleaner? I guess my real question is I currently use a spin clean and make my own solution. I use 800 ml of distilled water 8 ml of at least 91% isopropyl alcohol, and two drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid. I wash 10 records clean then my spin clean and brushes refill with 800 ml of straight distilled water and rinse each record. This seems to do a really good job on pretty much everything, maybe ultrasonic cleaner will not do any better of a job? Anyone have experience with both that can give their opinion? Thanks

 

[Mingo]

Sorry that I can't help with your question, but there may be answers in the "Cleaning Vinyl" sticky at:

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...-fiction-and-collective-wisdom.633407/page-41

or referenced similar threads at the bottom of this post. There are also several stickies over in the Turntable forum.

The answer is out there...good luck!

 

[Semanon]

The answer is out there...good luck!

Many answers are out there, but you must chose your own, grasshopper.

 

[noisefreq]

I often spot clean stubborn debris and fingerprints on the surface of the record with straight isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth or soft brush first, before going to the ultrasonic bath. Any residual chemical left on the vinyl should come off in the solution. The ultrasonic cleaner will clean deep down into the bottom of the groove where a microfiber cloth won't touch. Sometimes I'll spot clean after the bath also, and always vacuum up any residual solution left on the surface before it evaporates. To completely remove fingerprints from the vinyl is difficult but the record will still be very playable.