Tír Na HiFi

https://blog.discogs.com/en/how-to-c ... 21_05_07

"Steps to Clean Vinyl Records

Remove dust and static with a record brush.
Inspect the record for visible blemishes.
Spray cleaning solution on problem areas.
Wipe clean using circular movements.
Store vinyl records properly to prevent future problems.

Optional: If your record is particularly grimy or mold, then we recommend you wash it with warm, soapy water and let it dry before you start step no. 1."

I am a bit skeptical about using warm soapy water.

This is timely. I have one or two REALLY filthy records and I'm not sure what to do with them. I'm tempted by the warm and soapy water for those...

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/m ... -ever-0

More advice on how to clean records.

Wow that's quite an involved process. I think I'll need to ask my valet to look after this for me.

james wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 2:58 pm https://www.analogplanet.com/content/m ... -ever-0

More advice on how to clean records.

I used to love that magazine, bought The Tracking Angle in Tower Records back in the day. There are only two or three of them I couldn't get! I remember that article well, a bit obsessive/compulsive for me! I just let the stylus do its job!

Diapason wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 2:41 pm This is timely. I have one or two REALLY filthy records and I'm not sure what to do with them. I'm tempted by the warm and soapy water for those...

As I seem to remember somebody saying on here few years ago:

"Get a CD player! Problem solved! Next!"

Diapason wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 3:35 pm Wow that's quite an involved process. I think I'll need to ask my valet to look after this for me.

I do think it is ideal to have a valet for LP listening. Otherwise you're carefully dropping the stylus, then dashing back to the listening seat hoping to get there before the music starts. And if it's a posh cartridge, dashing back at the end for fear of damage in the run-out groove. A well-trained valet will deal with all this, and freshen your drink in between.

Ciaran, I've always said that you're a very smart man.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10050 ... b201603_

I have ordered ...

"2021 New LP Vinyl Record Cleaner Clamp Record Label Saver Protector Waterproof Acrylic

Description:
OOTDTY
100% brand new and high quality.
Feature:
The new upgraded model,
the handle is upgraded to an all-aluminum handle,
which is more convenient to operate,
and the waterproof gasket is improved for better waterproof performance.
Made of high-quality acrylic material, durable and stable, and has a long service life.
It has good sealing and no water immersion.
With it, you can wash your records at will, deep cleaning so that Records will have cleaner sound and your stylus will last longer!
Function: Protect the record center label from getting wet during cleaning."

Seems like a good idea for keeping the label dry when washing records.

Well, it depends on what you expect or want from your vinyl. I would not take the Discogs' method very seriously. Remember that if you are going to put all of this on your vinyl records (soapy water etc.) you are going to need an effective method to get all of that moisture and suds off the record, once cleaned. Otherwise, the residue will remain on your records and produce surface noise on play. This is where a vacuum type Record Cleaning Machine (RCM) comes in. There are some reasonably priced options available such as models from Project and VPI (VPI 16.5). Of course, the VPI is a U.S. import and what with import taxes (VAT and Customs Duties) together with local handler's margins, the cost could well spiral well above the local price in the U.S.A. VPI machines are a good investment though and are very robust. I have had my VPI HW-17F for 23 years at this stage and it is still going strong. I replaced the Vacuum Pump about three years ago and that is about it. Few if any enthusiasts outside of North America appear to use Enzyme based cleaning fluids with distilled/deionised water, it seems to me? These are highly effective and a better and safer option than alcohol diluted in distilled/deionised water, in my experience. Vinyl Enzyme Cleaning Agents such as Vinylzyme, Audio Intelligent, Mobile Fidelity etc. are only available in America though for the most part.

If you have the funds, an Ultrasonic RCM is another option nowadays. These are not inexpensive but coupled with a good wet cleaning regimen, the two methodologies combined produce the quietest vinyl I have ever heard. In that respect the old Tracking Angle article (a great publication in its day!) has been 'supplanted' somewhat although wet cleaning still has a very important part to play. Michael Fremer, the editor of the Tracking Angle, now endorses Ultrasonic Cleaning for records and has reviewed the Audiodeske System, Klaudio, Kirmus and the Degritter US RCMs in recent times. These can all be located and read/watched on www.analogplanet.com. If there is one thing I have learned from all of the above, it is this. Vinyl Records produced in the 1970s/80s were and are much better that we may have thought back in the day. We just didn't have the 'machinery' to effectively clean our records properly. I frequently buy new 'old' new and used M- store stock in Germany and I am astonished at how pristine these records sound when properly cleaned. It is astonishing, to be quite honest to hear a 50 years' old record play with zero surface noise and extraordinary sound. Wet Cleaning, for all its benefits, cannot rid the vinyl of factory residues and contaminants that quite often cause the pops, ticks and other anomalies we hear on our cherished records. Vinyl is a money pit!

I wholeheartedly agree with Satrus regarding Ultrasonic cleaning. I could never find a satisfactory way to clean vinyl until I invested in an Ultrasonic machine - I fill it with 5 parts distilled water to one part white vinegar. Some of my 70s vinyl was close to unplayable, now almost as new. I never realized that it could make such a difference. I can clean up to five discs at once, although for really bad condition purchases, I'll put one in on its own. I filter the mix every few records, that way it lasts for quite a while. For drying, I use an old but powerful hairdryer set to stun without the heating element - works every time. I'd recommend it.