advertisement


Please suggest a simple way to clean records...

Tony L said:
To be honest I suspect our record cleaning technology is so far apart I just don’t have to deal with the issues you describe. The vast majority of my record collection plays without any noticeable noise at all. Even very old second-hand classical. I’ve often had people round who are surprised by how quiet it is and ask me where all the crackle and pop is. I just point to the wet vac record cleaner and say “in there!”. It really is a game-changer. Obviously it can’t repair groove damage, pressing flaws etc, but it very often gets out stuff folk mistake as being that kind of issue.
Click to expand...
Same here and I have several hundred used records at least.
 
James said:
My exact sentiments too. I enjoy the ritual and experience of playing records. When I'm not in the mood, I stream or play CDs.
Click to expand...
Despite having a fairly huge record collection, I find myself getting lost in streaming Spotify. It all begins with me listening to an album and letting AI take over. It plays some great songs from albums I would have never thought of buying. I end up adding more albums to my Spotify library to check out later and the process goes on and on. This method works especially well with Jazz music. On that listening journey right now which started a couple hours ago with an album I already have on vinyl!

NS0xMTg5LmpwZWc.jpeg
 
Bob McC said:
Having never heard of it I just googled it and it seems PVA and aliphatic adhesive are different products.
Click to expand...
PVA is white, aliphatic is creamy yellow. They both do a good/great job at binding with wood fibre and record detritus. They do not adhere to vinyl.
 
I tried a couple of LPs with whatever wood glue I had lying around and it worked OK. Getting the peel started is a little tricky but it came off all in one piece pretty easily. The peeled glue looks like a papadum with the center missing. The glue I used was Elmer's wood glue but I ran out so I picked up a bottle of Titebond and this stuff won't peel at all, it is brittle and breaks as soon as you start to lift it. Luckily, this disc was from the $1 bin and I can play the other side that was cleaned by Elmer's.
Is it due to the different glue or user error? I might see if you can get Elmer's in a bigger bottle. I planned a little shoot-out between glue and my RCM to see if I get better sound from one or whether it will be a wash (NPI).
 
Just Bin them if crap, have 40 year old ones never been cleaned. Better than new at 30 quid. Tried a few cheap cleaners, more trouble than worth..
 
13th Duke of Wymbourne said:
I tried a couple of LPs with whatever wood glue I had lying around and it worked OK. Getting the peel started is a little tricky but it came off all in one piece pretty easily. The peeled glue looks like a papadum with the center missing. The glue I used was Elmer's wood glue but I ran out so I picked up a bottle of Titebond and this stuff won't peel at all, it is brittle and breaks as soon as you start to lift it. Luckily, this disc was from the $1 bin and I can play the other side that was cleaned by Elmer's.
Is it due to the different glue or user error? I might see if you can get Elmer's in a bigger bottle. I planned a little shoot-out between glue and my RCM to see if I get better sound from one or whether it will be a wash (NPI).
Click to expand...
Titebond is for gluing guitars back together?
 
By chance I found an old bottle of Elmer's wood glue in the garage with just enough left to do that errant side. I put a coat on top of the titebond layer and let in dry overnight and I was able to get the whole thing to peel off so the disc is saved.
 
If it's the shampoo recommendation, I tried it. Been OK, I have been using it in the knosti but changed it for non biological washing powder for the last few LP's.
 
Apologies for my error. Yes, that's what I have been using, Persil biological washing liquid. Didn't have to buy any as we use it for washing clothes.
 
Nigel said:
Apologies for my error. Yes, that's what I have been using, Persil biological washing liquid. Didn't have to buy any as we use it for washing clothes.
Click to expand...

Does it work well for you?
After many years with various I.P.A. /photographic wetting agents etc. I find my bio solution works very well.
I also find it is a ‘less is better’ recipe.

Worth noting that possibly due to the biological action, if used solution sits for too long it can react a little with the dirt. It is very cheap to make though, so I don’t overuse it.
I would also suggest a brief wipe over the playing surface with a lint free dampened cloth before putting the record in any cleaning device - makes no sense to contaminate the solution with obvious dust.
 
Mike Reed said:
Whatever material is used, it seems such a waste.
Click to expand...

Imagine how much of this is used in the building industry. Olympic-swimming-poolsful every month. Imagine how much plastic packaging will convey your food this year alone. Or in manufacture and distribution of vinyl records. The ecology argument for not cleaning with PVA ignores scale.

As for lumps left in the grooves, if you're a beginner, I recommend testing on a hated record to make sure you're not using the wrong glue or something. I've probably cleaned five or ten thousand sides with PVA and the scare stories proposed by those with very little experience, or none, just never happen.

I suspect that RCM salesmen are lurking somewhere behind the well-meaning advice. If you want to clean the occasional record superbly without the expense, clutter, noise and solvent alchemy of RCMs, a carton of good PVA will serve the purpose very well. It is the obvious answer to this thread yet the majority of posts seem to be about RCMs. Apart from drying time, I wonder if PVA is less popular because there is no expensive branded gadget to acquire and vouch for.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top