Record Cleaning - Soap and Water - test results

[statman122]

I sprung for the groovmaster, and it is well worth it! I use a mix of warm water, a squirt of dawn, a splash of 99% alcohol, and a trimmed down paint brush. Gentle dry with micro fiber towel (10 packs are cheap at auto zone) and it works great! I brought back to life an old copy of In A Gadda Da Vida that I've had for 39 years and had mold from a basement flood!! I cant' believe how good it sounds!

 

[libertycaps]

The Groovemaster is a great product! You can get a really good lather worked up and use a very aggressive rinse w/o any damage to the label. I also like that you can get your nose right up in it for a good critical look as you are cleaning.

 

[majick47]

Record Cleanin-Soap And Water-Test Results

Lets do a comparison with something most of us would understand. I remember many years ago finding a manual carpet sweeper in the basement and asked my parents what it was for and they explained that many years ago before homes had electricity you would run it over carpets to pick up dirt. It had a roller with brushes and it would pick up the dirt by friction but it was still necessary to take the carpet out of the house and beat the dirt out of it, both methods were marginally effective in getting carpets clean. Along came electricity and someone invents the electric vacume cleaner, life gets a lot easier for the lady of the house and the carpets are a lot cleaner then years gone by. Same thing with records, the RCM came out in the 1980s and revolutionized the cleaning of records. If people choose to ignore the advances in technology there isn't anything that we can say to change their minds.

 

[libertycaps]

Whether you spend $4 or $400 to wash your records, these threads are always entertaining. "Your hair isn't really clean unless you use the new & improved Vacuu-Rinse by RONCO(tm)!!" What a laugh.

 

[4dryhme]

Lets do a comparison with something most of us would understand. I remember many years ago finding a manual carpet sweeper in the basement and asked my parents what it was for and they explained that many years ago before homes had electricity you would run it over carpets to pick up dirt. It had a roller with brushes and it would pick up the dirt by friction but it was still necessary to take the carpet out of the house and beat the dirt out of it, both methods were marginally effective in getting carpets clean. Along came electricity and someone invents the electric vacume cleaner, life gets a lot easier for the lady of the house and the carpets are a lot cleaner then years gone by. Same thing with records, the RCM came out in the 1980s and revolutionized the cleaning of records. If people choose to ignore the advances in technology there isn't anything that we can say to change their minds.

Interesting analogy and an interesting way to call us who choose to not purchase an RCM a Luddite. :scratch2: Only problem with the analogy is that the actual vacuuming doesn't clean the records. It sucks up the cleaning fluid you applied that got the dirt into suspension. Ever see a vacuum salesman doing his schtick? They always use your old vacuum to clean the carpet first and then use the one they're selling to clean the carpet second. Why? Because there will always be dirt in the carpet that the vacuum doesn't get. And you know what? Those carpet sweepers (Yeah, we found one in an old basement too.) work really well to get a few crumbs off the carpet -- easier than dragging the vacuum out.

Some people cannot or will not spend disposable income on an RCM. And yeah, I know you can make easily enough with a bit of sweat equity and a donor TT. Maybe I'll do that some day. But mainly, when you don't have a lot of records in the first place, it makes sense to clean them somehow so you can enjoy them.

My investment in record cleaning is a small shop-vac, a paint brush, a squeeze bottle, a strip of velvet, a jug of distilled water, a bottle of 91% alcohol, and a bottle of Jet-Dry. Total must have been around 40 bucks. I paint the cleaning mixture on the record, so no need to cover the label. I vacuum it up so there's no lint and no drying time.

:tresbon:

I've been experimenting with using our regular vacuum cleaner because someone mentioned that the amount of liquid you're extracting isn't that much, so it shouldn't affect the machine adversely. Just to be on the safe side I lightly pat up most of the liquid first and then vacuum. I'll try it out some more once I get a lazy susan to rotate the record. I forgot about the Jet-Dry so, lol, I'll pick some up.

Whether you spend $4 or $400 to wash your records, these threads are always entertaining. "Your hair isn't really clean unless you use the new & improved Vacuu-Rinse by RONCO(tm)!!" What a laugh.

You said it. Let's remember the main thing is to have fun and enjoy the music.

 

[nickrobotron]

I used this method (kinda) for the first time tonight. The cleaning mixture was the famous 80 percent distilled water, 20 perfect alcohol, and a few drops of hypoallergenic dish soap. I lathered it on with a polyester paintbrush, rinsed it in the sink, then used a separate paintbrush to coat the LP with distilled water for a final rinse, and dried with a microfiber towel. I was pleased with the results, but I wonder if the polyester brush I use could damage the record as I'm scrubbing. Anyone had any bad experiences with their paintbrush being too harsh?

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

I used this method (kinda) for the first time tonight. The cleaning mixture was the famous 80 percent distilled water, 20 perfect alcohol, and a few drops of hypoallergenic dish soap. I lathered it on with a polyester paintbrush, rinsed it in the sink, then used a separate paintbrush to coat the LP with distilled water for a final rinse, and dried with a microfiber towel. I was pleased with the results, but I wonder if the polyester brush I use could damage the record as I'm scrubbing. Anyone had any bad experiences with their paintbrush being too harsh?

I've been using a paint brush for that last few months. I think it works quite well and have noticed no harm. I was using a sponge before I switched to the brush. The brush is more efficient with the quantity of cleaning fluid, though; thus the change.

 

[gregj]

I use a 4 inch natural bristle paint brush instead of polyester bristles. It doesn't harm vinyl and does a great job cleaning. I find that the final wipe with a lint-free cotton towel is also very effective at removing grease, stains and residue that the brush loosens but doesn't completely remove.

 

[DonBattles]

Couldn't you use PVC pipe ends with a hole in the middle of both and a long bolt and wing nut tieing them together? Maybe a little Permacasket on the edges to seal up well. Cheers.

How about something like this: http://sales.buysmrt.com/Blank+Cover+4+Round

Glue on the gasket, drill a hole in the center, get some hardware to make a handle and your on your way

Just realized how late I am to the party, sorry if this was already suggested.

 

[majick47]

Thread from July/August 2010 re handwashing pops up, must be looking for equal time with all this talk about RCMs but I don't see a lot of interest.

 

[62sunbeam]

Thread from July/August 2010 re handwashing pops up, must be looking for equal time with all this talk about RCMs but I don't see a lot of interest.

I'd beg to differ.

While I don't have the cash for a RCM I can't imagine that my method is in any way inferior to that yellow thing they sell on Ebay for $80.

I will repeat for those that might have interest as well as limited funds:

Two dent puller suction cups from Horrible Freight $7 ( fits over the label perfectly)

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-half-inch-diameter-suction-cup-40993.html

A 9" Shure line paint pad that I fold in half so I can squeeze the LP between the two faces of the pad.

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/022384/022384006300lg.jpg

I spray the LP with diluted simple green and let it sit for maybe 30 seconds with the suction cups attached. I then wet the pad and apply aome dish detergent and while squeezing the LP between it's faces I spin the LP back and forth until all of the LP has been well scrubbed.

If I'm concerned about excess dirt I spray the LP with the sprayer from the sink with warm water.

I rinse the LP the same way and then spray the LP with distilled water and 10% isopropol and then wipe with a diaper.

Works like a charm.

Eric

 

[DonBattles]

Thread from July/August 2010 re handwashing pops up, must be looking for equal time with all this talk about RCMs but I don't see a lot of interest.

Got you to post didn't it Nothing wrong with old posts coming back around now and again and in this case it's a nice contrast to the RCM posts. Personally I'm going to take the RCM route and perhaps a DIY version but it's nice to get alternatives as we all have different budgets or needs we are working with.
As a side note, looking at the pictures in the OP's post, I can see my wife walking in on that scene and just shaking her head not saying a single word :lmao::lmao:

 

[LazySounds]

I thought this looked like such a good idea that I have just attacked a bunch of really really filthy knackered looking Elvis records that I got off eBay.

I'm playing the first one now.

I'm listening to an Elvis version of Hey Jude, which I never new existed, eBay and soapy water = musical happiness.

 

[BrocLuno]

Wash on

 

[todd12345]

Kitchen sink, lukewarm water, rinse, dishsoap on a tshirt, wash, rinse, dry.

 

[aabottom]

I just did an emergency clean with kitchen sink, lukewarm water, rinse, dishsoap on my hands, wash, rinse, dry with terrycloth towel on:

Iron Butterfy ~ In-A-Godda-Da-Vida

 

[beat_truck]

I'm a cheap/poor bastard, and I use the original poster's method with a few other additions. I use a junk turntable to spin the records while I just hold the soapy paint brush on different portions of the record. I use automotive chamios cloths to dry the records after I clean them, because they are very absorbent, leave no lint, and can be used over and over. Something I use on ones that are really nasty is Westley's Bleach White. It is a product made for cleaning tires and wheels. It will get things off that nothing else will touch, and seems to have no ill effects on vinyl even when used full strength, just rinse thoroughly. It's amazing how dirty records that have been stored in sleeves can be, let alone 78s that are nearing 100 years old and have no sleeves.

Josh

 

[zenith2134]

I've no use for record cleaning apparati. When the necessary caution and common sense procedures are exercised, the full benefits of a clean record can be realized. Yes, the downside is the fact that it's time-consuming. Hasn't stopped me in the least. Enjoy.

 

[Mowgli]

Price has skyrocketed to $9.99 each for Bondo #956 at

Autozone & Advance Auto Parts

I just got a pair and just washed/dried a pair of noisy records.
It was much more convenient than gripping with hand web/balancing them while washing and drying....
....No more scary looking wet labels.

I am a good spender but this is still the best $21 I've spent in recent memory :thmbsp:


BTW - I use: 1 pair Bondo #956
Dawn regular dishwashing detergent
a 2" 99¢ Home Despot paintbrush trimmed shorter
Autozone (pack of $16.99/24) microfiber towels
New ($7.99/20) lined/paper sleeves from Newbury Comix

The 12 records I washed last night were = to or > quiet than if glued with Titebond II and some were dead black quiet + music

 

[Mowgli]

I'm about 200 records into washing my 1800 or so collection.

I use a squirt of Groovy Cleaner on my original Discwasher on every record after drying.
I found the drying with microfiber leaves enough fibers on the records to clog my stylus after playing a few.
The Discwasher sweep helps but it's still not perfect.

All in all it's less time consuming/less expensive than Titebond II and it seems to be at least as effective. :thmbsp: