Vinyl Care

@theaudiohiffle I've had the LAST cleaning system around for decades using the all-purpose cleaning solution (I would never use so called "preservatives" on my records or stylus!) and no matter what you do it always leaves residue. When I was still relying on it after using three drops of the solution on the applicator and distributing it according to LAST's instructions, I would roll the applicator on a dry and clean rolled up cotton T shirt at least six times to remove the excess before applying it to the record surface. After multiple plays even within months or years between plays there will be a minute white glob on the tip of the stylus.

As a general rule I keep record cleaning to a minimum. Breaking the seal on a new record it only gets a single pass with a dry carbon fiber brush as I queue up each side, (unpowered, rotating the turntable platter one revolution with my left hand) then a pass with a silicon roller left and right with a quarter turn of the platter and left and right again. I do repeat this procedure with every play whether I've used a more extensive cleaning method on used records or not.

Consider using the Last Record Cleaning system.  I started using it on my records in the late '60's (55-60 yrs ago..wow) and those records still sound as new.  Use the preservative before first play, then use the cleaning fluid every 3-5th time you play the record.  No expensive machinery required, either.

@audition__audio I like your approach. I think the Spin Clean is just the thing for records you pick up at the used record store before ever setting my stylus down on them. I do follow that up with my unsealed record cleaning method as outlined in my previous post to @theaudiohiffle. The final step I believe is playing the record since the stylus is the only thing that makes sufficient contact with the surfaces in the groove followed with a pass with the silicon roller to remove the debris that the stylus flicks up onto the surface of the record during the first play. I never see any reason to ever deep clean a used record again provided you put them in a new clean sleeve and handle them properly before dusting them with a brush and the roller before play. I would also wet clean my stylus before the start of any record I put on the platter as you suggested. In most instances, even on the first play, used records play silently all the way through.

If I can't live with the noise from surfaces imperfections, etc. on that pressing, I return the record for credit or exchange.

I believe that Spin Clean makes a good, manual wet system. You will need to dry the vinyl after cleaning. Also needed will be a anti-static brush and a stylus cleaner. I clean all albums before playing with a wet system and then use the brush for the next 5 or so play before using wet again. You should be able to get all this for under $ 200.00. Nitty Gritty makes a very good wet vacuum, manual system for higher $.

 

All I can say is wow.

I only hope if I ever need critical surgery,my Surgery team is as devoted to cleanliness as you folks.lol

I will have to keep it simple at first,and just pick one of these devices and start there.

Thanks

Good call. Have fun 😊

I was in a similar situation, having hardly played records after CDs came out.

Thanks to this forum, I discovered the bible on how to clean records.  It is PACVR-3rd-Edition - Precision Aqueous Cleaning of: Vinyl Records.

Like the bible, at 192 pages it is pretty lengthy.  But unlike the bible, the author Neil Antin is still alive and is active on this forum!

What I have distilled from this is that

1. newer line contact stylus profiles read information from parts of the groove walls that have not been 'worn out' by older stylus shapes
2. ultrasonic cleaning is the best way to dig contaminants from deep in the groove
3. most contamination is far too small to see with visible light and most people do not have access to electron microscopes

So I bought a Chinese ultrasonic record cleaner for less than A$300 and use it once on all my records, old or new.  Polysorbate 20 is the 'detergent' and I use water passed through a Brita ion-exchange filter.  Then I rinse the records using a very dilute mix of Ilfoton photographic wetting agent and let them air dry on the rack that came with the machine.

I replace the inner sleeves with Japanese Nagaoka anti-static sleeves.

Before playing any side, I use an AudioQuest carbon fibre anti-static record brush just in case there is any dust.

After switching to this regime, my stylus stays clean far longer.  When it needs cleaning, I use Audio Technica stylus cleaning fluid brushed from the rear (my main cartridge is an Audio Technica with a Micro-line stylus).  I follow up by lowering the stylus a couple of times into a gel pad which is a purpose built alternative to clay - the DS Audio ST-50 stylus cleaner.

The bottom line is that most of the old pops and crackles have audibly disappeared though nothing can remove scratches.  I believe static electricity is the biggest cause of surface noise and water is an excellent way of discharging static.  I also think static charges are created in the groove when it is rubbed by a diamond stylus.  Charged particles of dust are attracted and stick incredibly firmly - the inverse square law of attraction applies. 

I sometimes use the carbon fibre brush after playing a side, especially if I see any dust.  And I do use a dust cover while playing.