Best way to clean old lps

Eight1zero

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Hi guys
I just got some 30-40 old vinyls from a friend who has not used then for 20 yrs.. some of them are in a bad shape .. what is the best way to clean lps ? Thanks
 
Hi guys
I just got some 30-40 old vinyls from a friend who has not used then for 20 yrs.. some of them are in a bad shape .. what is the best way to clean lps ? Thanks
Hi
First of all make a mixture of distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and ezee liquid or Amway car wash or shampoo. Then apply it on the surface of the vinyls cautiously keeping one thing in mind that the record label should not be drenched. After this wash those in fresh water and allow them to dry.use lintfree cloth to clean and dry those records.
Once cleaned put those in clean inner and outer cover. It is advisable to collect new covers and use those for the safety of those priceless gems. Hope this helps.
Regards
 
Last edited:
Hi
First of all make a mixture of distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and ezee liquid or Amway car wash or shampoo. Then apply it on the surface of the vinyls cautiously keeping one thing in mind that the record label should not be drenched. After this wash those in fresh water and allow them to dry.use lintfree cloth to clean and dry those records.
Once cleaned put those in clean inner and outer cover. It is advisable to collect new covers and use those for the safety of those priceless gems. Hope this helps.
Regards
Thanks Will try this
But I read somewhere that isopropyl alcohol should not be used on lps as it takes of the protective layer
 
80% distilled water, 20% IPA , ezee/ shampoo and dab the mixture on the surface of vinyls. Then wash those using distilled water and let those be dried. Use lintfree cloth to clean those. This is the cheapest way to clean records.
Regards
 
As I have already told , keep the cleaned records in fresh/clean covers to get the best result. You may contact FM RIKHAV for vinyl covers as another FM also has suggested. I came to know his name from HFV and contacted him. What he supplied was amazing. Earlier I tried various on line/ offline sources but IMO nothing can beat Rikhav's. I am very happy with those and hope to buy more from him in future. However, clean those and enjoy.
Cheers
 
There are many ways to clean records, a simple google search will yield 100s of results and yes, all records need to be cleaned well, especially when you first receive them (mostly if they are pre-used). There are complex manual methods, automated methods and even the very simple damp soft non-fibrous cloth approach. The method of preference is usually user-specific and relates broadly to (1) listening expectations of user (2) storage, (3) user indulgence

(1) listening expectations - some record listeners are obsessed with pure sound, vinyl vs analog sound comparisons and are easily irritated by ticks and pops/surface noise. These users tend to spend hours cleaning their records with various methods, some even going to the extent of having a separate rig and vacuum cleaner for the purpose. On the other hand, some are quite happy to clean the record to an extent wherein it sounds good and playing the record does not clog the stylus. They are not obsessed with analog mixing and don't mind a few ticks and pops. Simpler and more practical methods work well for this category of users.

(2) storage - very important factor, however well you clean your record, if you used the old soiled inner sleeve for storage, you will have to repeat the process all over again. Yes, those old inner sleeves are great and nostalgic but it is always good to use a new inner sleeve after a proper clean (and yes, some records are just slipped into the jacket without inner sleeves. Always use an inner sleeve and while inserting the inner sleeve with record, into the jacket, keep the opening of the inner sleeve pointing upward

(3) user indulgence - many don't have the patience or the time to keep cleaning their records. I have known of many to drop out of the vinyl listening hobby just because they cannot be bothered to clean their records. Playing a record or a reel tape is different from playing a cd. It is more like an art form with a process attached. An easy way to do this is to perform a good clean-up at the first instance, ensure clean and dust-free storage (yes, open shelves with records stored like in a book library, look nice but can accumulate dust) and thereafter superficially clean the record before playing.
 
I have used a Nitty Gritty record cleaner, Disc Doctor cleaning fluid manually, the Spin Clean and the standard isopropyl+water+dishwashing liquid mix. After being suspicious of the exact role of isopropyl alcohol, I read up on the cleaning powers of isopropyl alcohol I realised its not really needed for the average record since your average dishwashing liquid is formulated to lift off oil and other dirt. I tried a bunch of records with a solution of water from my RO filter mixed with a little dishwashing liquid and they came out the same as any of the other methods. Saves me from having to buy fluid now and handling the alcohol. I'd rather drink mine. But I use an RCM to vacuum off the water after rinsing. I've found that a second cleaning quietens down records that are still crackly from a first cleaning. Wiping down with only a cloth will tend to leave the record a little more crackly than a vacuum clean I've found. You could offset that with a few more rounds of cleaning though as per record condition. Also buy a good magnifying glass to see the record grooves after cleaning. I've got a 40x25mm one. This way if you don't see any white stuff in the grooves you know its groove damage and not dirt still present.
 
Hello to all the Vinyl lovers,

I am visiting the forum after real long gap of time.

Anyone used vinegar for cleaning Vinyls?

Came across this article, though to share:

 
I have tried several cleaning methods and I am fully satisfied with vacuum cleaning using Demineralised water and IPA 10 to 20 percent. I firmly believe that most of the dirt is inside the groove and and they cannot be fully removed without it being made in a form where it is possible to vacuum it out using a powerful wet and dry vacuum cleaner. I have demonstrated this to many and showed the difference by cleaning only one side and playing both sides. I have even compared this cleaning with my friend's very expensive Loricraft machine. Loricraft machine cleaning is better and the record sounds more silent. That maybe because of the exclusive solution and the dirt from each and every groove is vacuumed out. But for someone who cannot afford an expensive RCM, this is a very good alternative.
 
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