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Please suggest a simple way to clean records...

B

bec143

pfm Member
I am through with the recent upgrade round (I hope). It was quite satifsying- I am loving the ATC SM40s and am also very impressed with the Wimi Pro Plus (just using its internal DAC).

So I am back to the original goal of buying records. I am finding vinyl in good shape around Seattle (it's not NYC or London, but not bad), but record cleaning seems not to be optional.

I don't have an old vinyl collection (that was ruined 20 years ago) and I have a simple TT. I thus don't want an unwieldy or expensive ultrasonic or other behemoth.

Ideal would belong the lines of a specialized cloth/brush and/or spray of some sort. Is that a viable option- seems very 1970.

Any "good enough" suggestionsaloung these lines for a born again vinyl newbie?

Thanks,

Bruce
 
bec143 said:
I am through with the recent upgrade round (I hope). It was quite satifsying- I am loving the ATC SM40s and am also very impressed with the Wimi Pro Plus (just using its internal DAC).

So I am back to the original goal of buying records. I am finding vinyl in good shape around Seattle (it's not NYC or London, but not bad), but record cleaning seems not to be optional.

I don't have an old vinyl collection (that was ruined 20 years ago) and I have a simple TT. I thus don't want an unwieldy or expensive ultrasonic or other behemoth.

Ideal would belong the lines of a specialized cloth/brush and/or spray of some sort. Is that a viable option- seems very 1970.

Any "good enough" suggestionsaloung these lines for a born again vinyl newbie?

Thanks,

Bruce
Click to expand...
Disco Antistat is cheap and cheerful and it works.
Not as good as the more expensive cleaners but I have cleaned dozens of my records with it.
Results range from quite startlingly better to no audible improvement.
None have been made worse by the cleaning process which happens to make a lot of sense to me.
You can experiment with fluids too but the stuff supplied works ok for me. YMMV, of course.
 
Jazzer said:
Disco Antistat is cheap and cheerful and it works.
Not as good as the more expensive cleaners but I have cleaned dozens of my records with it.
Results range from quite startlingly better to no audible improvement.
None have been made worse by the cleaning process which happens to make a lot of sense to me.
You can experiment with fluids too but the stuff supplied works ok for me. YMMV, of course.
Click to expand...
Seconded. All those I have cleaned showed improvement. Simple but effective.
 
The Nagaoka Rolling record cleaner (now the CL1000) was my go-to cleaner when I had a big collection. Two rollers and a dedicated sponge to dry off the rollers after washing worked well for me. I always feared a residue build up from liquids like Antistat. Short of a trip to a shop with a Keith Monks pro record cleaner there was nothing for the collector in the 70s/80s except 'facemask' cleaners based on PVA for very dirty/preowned records. I've had very good results ressurecting almost unplayable dirty records with what is little more than woodworking glue. Nagaoka seems to be selling a pre-storage cleaning kit with fluids and a cloth - Analogue Seduction used to sell them but I'm sure there are other suppliers. DGP
 
Playing vinyl is like a two way contract. You buy a TT and expensive cartridges in order hear a beautiful sounds. In return you have to meticulously clean your records, anything less will result in a lower grade sound which then] makes playing vinyl pointless.

I know from experience that the only way to clean a record is to buy a record cleaning machine. They are easy to use but mind destroyingly boring if you do them in batches.

If you don't want to go through this old palaver, your best bet is to stream.
 
@bec143

I clean hundreds of records every month with a Knotsi Disco-Antistat
I have been using this type of cleaning device for many years.

Makes your own cleaning fluid - there are umpteen recommendations on pfm

(I use deionised water with a couple of drops of biological clothes washing liquid mixed/shaken in)

If you want you can add a second machine to rinse , but this isn’t necessary.
You can get better drying results by spinning off some of the excess fluid before removing the record clamp - this is easy but takes a little practice.

 
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A clean washing up bowl, lukewarm water, a tiny splash of Fairy, and a new sponge. Don't wet the label. Rinse in clean water, drain vertically. Once drained air dry on a coffee mug. Simple enough for me.
 
Another vote for the Knosti as a "good enough" cleaner. I used one for yonks and it certainly can improve grubby records.

But if you have the space don't discount altogether the idea of getting a RCM. The Pro-Ject machines are very effective and can sometimes be had used for a reasonable amount.

I went Knosti > Nitty Gritty > Pro-Ject and the Pro-Ject gets records significantly cleaner.
 
Find an equivalent to the old plush-hair pads, etc, that Watts used to sell. Use a small amount of water to ensure they are just moist but not wet. Works for for dust.

If the LP has been damaged, cleaning it won't fix that. So for such cases you need either a new copy or a USB ADC and Audacity to repair the damage. Then play the file. :) Personally I do the latter as I can then play more conveniently, etc. Keep the LP as your 'ticket' to listen and in case you need to repeat the process.
 
I’ve cleaned my records with dish detergent and a paint pad for years. I rinse the record under the tap before and after cleaning and dry the record with a microfiber cloth followed up with a hair dryer before returning the record to a clean inner sleeve. Works a treat!

You will need a record label protector like this.
 
Mick P said:
I know from experience that the only way to clean a record is to buy a record cleaning machine. They are easy to use but mind destroyingly boring if you do them in batches.
Click to expand...
Totally agreed, though I never found the process particularly boring but I won't go so far as to say it brightened up my life.
paulfromcamden said:
Another vote for the Knosti as a "good enough" cleaner. I used one for yonks and it certainly can improve grubby records

I went Knosti > Nitty Gritty > Pro-Ject and the Pro-Ject gets records significantly cleaner.
Click to expand...
Your 'good enough' obviously wasn't, then, Paul. :)

There are always compromise solutions to most things but that's exactly what they are; compromises.

The thing which keeps coming back to me when thinking about record/stylus cleaning, is that when I started in vinyl hifi, there were no RCMs (nor for decades, I think) and only effectively MM cart's playing a 1 g +. Yes, we had pads, rollers and dustbugs plus Pixall tape machines at a later stage (but they were awful; you needed an anti-static gun every time). How come our records, styli and music enjoyment didn't, with hindsight, seem to be affected ?
 
bec143 said:
I am through with the recent upgrade round (I hope). It was quite satifsying- I am loving the ATC SM40s and am also very impressed with the Wimi Pro Plus (just using its internal DAC).

So I am back to the original goal of buying records. I am finding vinyl in good shape around Seattle (it's not NYC or London, but not bad), but record cleaning seems not to be optional.

I don't have an old vinyl collection (that was ruined 20 years ago) and I have a simple TT. I thus don't want an unwieldy or expensive ultrasonic or other behemoth.

Ideal would belong the lines of a specialized cloth/brush and/or spray of some sort. Is that a viable option- seems very 1970.

Any "good enough" suggestionsaloung these lines for a born again vinyl newbie?

Thanks,

Bruce
Click to expand...
I use a eraser sponge...fairly wet go around record a few times and wipe off with kitchen roll...nearly all my records are from charity shops so have fag and coal fire residue on them..also kills static too! You can use distilled water if you want..I can't be bothered and use filtered water!
 
I don’t think there’s a simpler way to clean records. Less laborious maybe but not simpler.
Personally, I don’t clean everything just the record thats due play next. If I have cleaned the record before I just move along. I use a Pro-ject ALU that works well but by Christ it’s noisy.
 
Seattle is a big place and there will be people near you who own good record cleaning machines.

I use an Audiodesk Systeme (now a silly price but very good and works for decades). I don’t use it every week or even every month, and many owners probably do the same.

Why not see if anyone local-ish to you will lend you an RCM for a weekend?
 
rough edges said:
In my opinion, the most important part of the whole process is the vacuuming. Anything short of that, and you are just redistributing the gunk that the solution has loosened.
Click to expand...
You'd think so - but one look at the colour of the fluid in a Knosti after cleaning a few discs suggests it shifts quite a lot of gunk. Maybe not as much a vacuum RCM but my experience was that it certainly made a worthwhile improvement.

But I think there are also a lot of factors at work - fluid and technique being two.
 
paulfromcamden said:
You'd think so - but one look at the colour of the fluid in a Knosti after cleaning a few discs suggests it shifts quite a lot of gunk. Maybe not as much a vacuum RCM but my experience was that it certainly made a worthwhile improvement.

But I think there are also a lot of factors at work - fluid and technique being two.
Click to expand...
I agree that the Knosti is worthwhile, the fluid does remove some Crud. lol
It’s a question of degree.
My record collection is about 600 albums and not particularly valuable but I only clean those that I feel would benefit from it.
Also, I believe that the double sided light abrasion of the two goat hair brushes in complete fluid immersion is a good way to clean a record.
Others may disagree, but personally I dont want or need the expense of an expensive vacuum machine.
The OP asked for a low cost, effective record cleaner, and that’s exactly what a Knosti Anti stst is.
 
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