Vinyl cleaner

[gip111]

Ok, so I know Im gonna get it from the viny l experts out there but I'd thought I give it a shot...
Got a hold of a hundred plus albums that were about one third covered in water from a flood and I guess over time they all developed mold, the covers are shot but the vinyl comes from someone that hardly played them.
After many attempts to get the mold, stains and embedded dirt out of the vinyl with no avail using soapy water and alcohol and water mix, I decided to try...ok here it goes...Carpet and Vinyl cleaner foam, I would spray the entired album till it foams, wait about a minute and then with a damp paint brush work it into the grooves with a circular motion and rinse it real good with running water, dry it and the results are a nice clean shiny record. Now Im not sure if some of the ingredients are harmful to the records but since I have nothing to lose and after all it is a vinyl cleaner, I'd thought I try it.
Any suggestions?

Gil

 

[ricohman]

Years ago my buddy and I used the sun.
We sat the moldy record out in the blazing sun for the better part of the day. After a few Windex treatments it came out all right.
But the stain, although faded, remained.

 

[RickB]

Look for a pure enzyme cleaner...perhaps pet odor eliminators...that's what you will need to eat the mold off the vinyl...

Of course you could always look to Audio Intelligent Vinyl Solutions for the proper care and cleaning of LPs...

Or you could keep screwin' around with other stuff hoping that you find something that works well and doesn't screw up the vinyl....

 

[Mclogan]

Carpet and Vinyl cleaner foam

The "vinyl" in synthetic carpets and floor coverings is not the same polymeric chemical as the "vinyl" in LP records. So your homebrew cleaner may not be the best choice, but my guess is that it won't unduly harm non-essential records.

And yes, the proposed enzyme cleaners will indeed deal with mold on records (but will have no effect on dirt or grunge of non-biological origin). But soap and water will also remove mold equally well at a fraction of the cost you'll find yourself paying for the so-called specialist boutique cleaners. Your choice.