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Record cleaning based on science

Sillver79 said:
Gridslayer, that sounds like a lot of work. I just wash with a mixture of 99% alcohol and couple of drops of dish soap but what made a really difference was adding a cap full of jet dry after the rinse i let them drip dry a few minutes than wipe them down with ca microfibre cloth. I would like to use a RCM vacuum to see if it is really better. The above mentioned way gets rid of 95% to 100% of surface noise...my 2 cents.
One thing for sure I now pre-rinse with the most powerful stream of water and after the scrub.
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You're missing the point of this thread... enzyme cleaning Plus I don't like getting the labels wet in the sink...
 
I think I need a small paintbrush to apply the enzyme water. I end up sloshing it all over, getting tons in some spots, and none in others.
 
Vince1 said:
Yes, the detergent mix would be great. If instead you use an ionic detergent like SDS, it might get a little foamy though.


8< snip!

But we're washing records here, not cloning genes, so I'll give it a shot. The enzyme mix is easy, just empty 1 capsule into 1 gallon of water and mix until all is dissolved (don't skake to mix as you can denature the enzymes). Reminds me, I need to add a note, do not let this solution dry on the record surface! Also, shelf life of this mix is a few hours so discard when done. For the detergent mix, add 1 small drop of Triton X100 to one gallon distilled water and mix. As I mentioned, this stuff is difficult to work with so be patient,. If you first take the drop and mix it with a teaspoon of water to break it up before adding to the gallon it will be much easier. Note, you can buy 500mls of triton off Amazon for $10, that's enough for about 5000 batches....a lifetime of washes. If you want it buffered (optional but recommended) add 3/4 cup of 10x TBE to this gallon. This solution will last months if kept clean.
hope this helps
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Curious about the shelf life comments for both the enzyme and detergent mix. I purchased the capsules and the Triton X100.

Are you saying if I mix 1 capsule into 1 gallon of water, that entire gallon has a shelf life of a few hours? Even if kept capped?
Or do you mean if dispensed into a SpinClean, that quantity has a limited life?

I ask, as I do not use a SpinClean, rather will apply it onto an LP, brush, and use a record vacuum to remove, followed by the detergent and final clean water rinse, all removed via vacuum.
Curious too your thoughts on detergent shelf life in this scenario?

I would hate to think I had to waste 1 gallon and a capsule each time I do cleaning, as only a few ounces would be required for each LP?

Thanks again,

Bill
 
quantum 3 said:
Curious about the shelf life comments for both the enzyme and detergent mix. I purchased the capsules and the Triton X100.

Are you saying if I mix 1 capsule into 1 gallon of water, that entire gallon has a shelf life of a few hours? Even if kept capped?
Or do you mean if dispensed into a SpinClean, that quantity has a limited life?

I ask, as I do not use a SpinClean, rather will apply it onto an LP, brush, and use a record vacuum to remove, followed by the detergent and final clean water rinse, all removed via vacuum.
Curious too your thoughts on detergent shelf life in this scenario?

I would hate to think I had to waste 1 gallon and a capsule each time I do cleaning, as only a few ounces would be required for each LP?

Thanks again,

Bill
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Yes, that's correct. Enzymes are proteins, as such the protease enzymes that break down proteins will also break down the other enzymes, lipase and amylase. It's only a matter of time before the break down is complete.

This is why the dry forms are preferable. The liquid forms are buffered to a pH level that inhibits activity, but may not completely prevent it. Dilution in water brings the pH to a level that allows breakdown to occur.
 
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ive been reading dr vinces old posts and i must say my records have never sounded better since using triton x ,ive just ordered some nexazyme to try.
 
Giving this thread a bump because it helped me dramatically improve a noisy record I bought today.

I cleaned the record with my ultrasonic mix, but there was still some noise and visible schmutz on the record. I then tried the enzyme mix, rinsed and vacuumed, and ten minutes later the remaining surface noise is much improved. It's an old record with some damage, so it'll never be completely free of pops, but it's now a keeper until a better copy comes along.
 
Excellent, dcmfan. I'll have to dig my bottle back out, I couldn't find the right circumstances to see if the enzyme treatment provided additional cleaning benefits. I'm pretty rough with those paint pads and elbow grease, but this is good news to hear nonetheless.
 
Would it be too aggressive on the vinyl to use a Water Pic dental cleaning unit with distilled water as a final rinsing method in hopes of blasting away any residual crud ? It's a never ending quest for quiet playing vinyl. Enjoying all the varied ideas here.
 
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