Record Cleaner Advice?


The recent refurbishment of my analog front end has me thinking it would be wise to get myself a new-fangled record cleaner.  My old Nitty-Gritty still works, but I'm sure you all have much to tell me about newer, better options.  Advice please!

Not that it matters much, but my front end: SOTA Star Sapphire with new bearing, SME V overhauled by Alfred Kayser in Canada (dismantled, cleaned, new ceramic bearings and shotgun Cardas gold litz cables from cartridge to preamp) and new Audio-Technica ART9XA.  I need clean vinyl!
keegiam
@pryso,

This subject has been discussed many ways - there is a long thread over at the VPI Forum and starting around page 66 I started contributing  http://www.vpiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2289&start=650.

Otherwise, you can swipe the brush back & forth as quickly as you wish - the faster the better, just don't be throwing liquid everywhere.  There are two schools of thought - one is to bear down on the brush/pad to scrub record - I am not a fan of that - too easy to do more harm than good.  I am the school of thought that says move the brush as quickly as you can back & forth to agitate the cleaner/fluid - so that its is the fluid agitation - the fluid velocity/foam (that can mimic cavitation) that does the cleaning.  Some foam is OK for manual cleaning when you are not using a lot of cleaner, it lifts/float debris from the record into the brush so you are not grinding it into the record. 

Your drying method sounds great - especially this time of year when cold weather + low humidity make it very easy to develop static on the record.  

Good Luck!
Neil
@antinn

Neil, I have all the goodies, except the VPI itself, which should be here in a week.  I found a pretty pristine HW-17.

Question: for the really dirty records, is it ok to scrub with the Liquinox solution right on the VPI while it's turning?  This would be handy for me but I don't want to do things that are going to damage the machine over the long run.  Would it be better to remove the record and rinse it with tap water instead of using the vacuum to suck up the Liquinox solution?

I'm not as concerned about the Tergitol 15-S-9 solution because it seems the milder of the two.  BTW, I even bought one of those cool Ronxs lighters to keep right next to the table and figure I'll just zap the blank vinyl near the label before lowering the stylus.  What could beat a last-second anti-static zap?

One last thing: A guy on a Steve Hoffman forum recommended this as a perfect drying rack.  A Hamilton Beach 6600x bread slicing guide.  I ordered a used one but it's still gonna set you back over $20 with shipping:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pAAAAOSwfRZfIvNw/s-l300.jpg

This version will hold 17 records - sort of overkill - but there's a similar unit out there that would hold 6.



@keegiam,

Yes, you can use the Liquinox with the vacuum-RCM.  Use about 0.5% solution and then rinse with DIW and then proceed to final clean  with  the 15-S-9. The Liquinox will foam more than 15-S-9, but most of foam will collect in the brush. I will state that I now use the Liquinox even for new record, unless 45 rpm >$40 which are pretty clean.  The record pressing plants are pushing manufacture to keep up with demand, and cleanliness suffers, but is correctable.  

Per my paper I use the OXO dish rack -  Dish Rack (oxo.com); the tips are smooth and almost rubbery, but its only good for six records which is pretty much the most I will clean at any one time.

Take care & good luck,
Neil
Liqinox and Tergitol are proving quite difficult to source in the UK.

Ilfotol can be sourced, is there any equivalent Substitutes for Liquinox ?
@pindac,

In the UK/EU you cannot purchase  Liquinox and Tergitol.  Aside from ILFOTOL, for a Tergitol 15-S-9 near equivalent you can purchase  Dehypon LS54  Dehypon – Conservation Resources (UK) Ltd (conservation-resources.co.uk) which is not available in the US.   Dehypon LS54 is a low foaming, high performance nonionic surfactant; and like 15-S-9 is delivered 100% concentrated.  If using at room temperature for hand-cleaning or vacuum-RCM, use it at about 0.025%.  You use Dehypon LS54 at about 1/4 the concentration of Tergitol 15-S-9 (if curious, the critical micelle concentration of Dehypon LS54 is less than 15-S-9, so you can use less).

I have no direct UK/EU substitute for Liquinox.  I have done some searching, but I have yet to find any direct replacement.   However, for the pre-clean step you have any number of alternatives; I choose Liquinox because I knew the product, the company and in the US - its cheap. I have not used this product, but it is clear (so no dye), appears to be formulated for records and is concentrated and the dilution ratio is not bad, Record Machine Cleaning Fluid Concentrate - 250ml by: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics. If you go to the vendor site FAQs – Vinyl Clear it does talk about dust - which implies the cleaner if not rinsed (or subject to final clean) the residue can be a dry powder. So long as you use it only for pre-clean, you should never experience this. A cheaper alternative (if you can find it) could be a hand dishwashing detergent that is not colored (no dyes), un-scented (no fragrance) and are not anti-bacterial. These will tend to have a number of ingredients that have nothing to do with cleaning such as thickeners, but diluted-down into a spray bottle can work as a pre-cleaner.   Most thickened dishwashing detergents are at best 25% active so I recommend diluting to get about a 0.5% solution; add (1000 mL)(0.005)/(0.25) = 20 mL/L as a place to start.