How to clean Vinyl Records?

Vinyl record have taken a front seat in recent years. People are buying old records from auctions, garage sales, and thrift stores.

While vinyl records are known for delivering a pure musical experience similar to original recording, they do have their challenges. One significant issue is their tendency to attract dust, which can settle deep within the grooves. To ensure that your vinyl records continue to provide years of enjoyment, regular cleaning is essential.

The records are fragile things that can be damaged easily if they are not handled with care. In this guide, we have discussed some methods to safely clean your vinyl records.

Why you should clean a record?

The records are dust are a dust and fingerprint magnet that attracts everything that is floating in the air on their surface because of the static electricity. The friction against the record surface causes them to get electrically charged which attracts tiny particles.

If you bought a brand new record from the store and thought of playing it without cleaning, give this idea a second chance. The new records are full of lint, dust, and smudges. 

The reasons to always clean your record are:

1. When records are dirty, they can leave dust on the turntable slipmat. This dust can then be picked up by other records played on the same surface and makes other records dirty.
2. The dirty records are prone to scratches which damages your record.
3. The problems such as cracking sounds, skipping, and pops are caused by the dirt deposited deep inside the grooves of the record.
4.  The stylus collects dust and debris from the record surface, and this can lead to damage not only to the stylus itself but also to other records in your collection.
5. New records undergo several manufacturing and quality control processes, as well as handling during packaging and shipping. These steps can introduce dust, lint, and even fingerprints onto the surface of the record.

How to clean vinyl records without eroding them?

There are several methods of cleaning records available on the internet but all are not safe. Some methods are risky and can damage your precious records.

In this guide, I’ve shared the safe cleaning methods I personally use on my records. These methods have proven effective and have never caused any harm to my record collection.

1. Using a vinyl record cleaner machine

If you have a lot of money to spend then a record cleaner machine is the best option for three reasons:

• Convenient and requires less effort.
• Less time-consuming and suitable if you have a large collection.
• Easy to operate

The machine is simple and contains two parts platter to spin record and vacuum.  The steps to clean records using the device are pretty simple:

1. First, you need to place the record on the platter fix the clamp provided above it, and turn on the switch to rotate.
2. It is compulsory to dry clean your record first. On the spinning disc gently press the anti-static carbon brush at one point so that dust is collected in a single place.
3. Now apply the record cleaning solution on the disc spread all over it and wait for a minute or two until the solution is penetrated in the grooves.
4. Now lower the vacuum arm, switch on the machine, and rotate the disc in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions until the fluid is removed taking all dust and grime away by the vacuum.

The process is handy and can give you a professional level of cleaning. 

2. Using a spin-clean record washer

It is an affordable option to clean records at your home. It is a simple yet effective record washing machine that operates without electricity and does not involve the use of a turntable. It comes with its own cleaning solution There are many options available in the market. You can explore these record cleaners online. You can check one of these here.

3. Cleaning records with household items

Here also first two steps are almost.

1. First, put the record on the turntable and rotate it.
2. Apply the carbon brush with gentle pressure on the moving record to remove the first layer of dirt and remove the filth collected at a place by sweeping the brush.
3. Spray some cleaning solution on the disc carefully, and allow it to settle down deep in the grooves.
4. Spin the disc again and use the microfiber cloth or brush against the moving record to collect all the dust and grease that ruins the music quality of the record.
5. Give a final spray of distilled water and rub it again with a microfiber cloth to soak it dry.
6. Inspect the record again if any dirt is left and also check by playing the record, if the problem persists then repeat the whole process.

You can follow these steps without using a turntable, and perform all the steps manually.

Things to remember before cleaning your record

Tips to prevent the record

1. Always use a good quality record cleaning solution.
2. Try not to use isopropyl alcohol solutions, especially on shellac records as it can wipe out the upper layer of the record.
3. Avoid using detergent and other soap solutions more specifically if you have a vintage or expensive record collection.
4. Always use a microfiber or lint-free cloth to wipe out the solution which is applied to clean the records.
5. Make sure that your stylus should be cleansed regularly otherwise, it can damage records.
6. Always store records in static-free or plastic sleeves and do not stack them over each other because extra weight can damage grooves.
7. Always hold the records from the edges and avoid touching the grooves because oil and grease from palms get deposited in the grooves.
8. Do not rub the alcohol on the record as it damages the shiny layer of the vinyl.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, always clean your record before and after playing with a carbon brush or lint-free cloth. It will reduce your hassle of cleaning the record to a greater extent. 

Unlike digital media, vinyl is the physical channel of listening to music. The biggest culprit is the dust that gets deposited deep inside the grooves of the vinyl records. So, the cleaning of records at regular intervals ensures longevity and maintains the audio quality for more years to come. 

If you are a beginner, you can confidently clean your records without damaging them by following the article’s guides.