You know, record cleaning and care tips seem to be all over the board. I even once had an audio dealer tell me NOT to clean old records if they didn't "LOOK" dirty because cleaning them would only make them sound worse! I truly believe that most tips and suggestions, unless the person is overtly trying to sell you something, are offered in good faith and with good intentions.
However, I do have a question with regard to the statement above that alcohol will damage polyvinyl records. While not saying this is WRONG (because I am not an expert chemist), it is contrary to almost everything I have ever read. Of course, it has ALWAYS been held that alcohol is a definite "no-no" on shellac 78's. After searching and viewing about 50 sources, nearly all recommended brews for cleaning records have alcohol as a content ingredient and mention alcohol damage ONLY in the case of shellacs. A couple say that "some" have claimed alcohol damage but that experience has shown that unless the percentage of alcohol used is more than 40% and that alcohol does not come into prolonged or continous contact witht LP, that damage is not an issue. Some sites have mentioned that the BBC and Library of Congress use solutions to clean records that have alcohol as an ingredient.
I have about 2,000 LP's that I have recently resurrected and plan to start cleaning them in batches as I begin to play them again. Does anyone else out there know of any solid evidence to say that one should NOT use alcohol? I certainly don't want to in any way damage my old vinyl.
However, I do have a question with regard to the statement above that alcohol will damage polyvinyl records. While not saying this is WRONG (because I am not an expert chemist), it is contrary to almost everything I have ever read. Of course, it has ALWAYS been held that alcohol is a definite "no-no" on shellac 78's. After searching and viewing about 50 sources, nearly all recommended brews for cleaning records have alcohol as a content ingredient and mention alcohol damage ONLY in the case of shellacs. A couple say that "some" have claimed alcohol damage but that experience has shown that unless the percentage of alcohol used is more than 40% and that alcohol does not come into prolonged or continous contact witht LP, that damage is not an issue. Some sites have mentioned that the BBC and Library of Congress use solutions to clean records that have alcohol as an ingredient.
I have about 2,000 LP's that I have recently resurrected and plan to start cleaning them in batches as I begin to play them again. Does anyone else out there know of any solid evidence to say that one should NOT use alcohol? I certainly don't want to in any way damage my old vinyl.