Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: cleaning dusty vinyl (Read 9166 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

cleaning dusty vinyl

dust.
scurge of the universe.

I have no problem giving light "surface" cleaning but I often got bad sound (awful pops/clicks) and figured that the LP had been played to death by its previous owner (90% of mine is secondhand)

By chance I found myself with a ultra-bright white LED torch, I had a close look at one of the albums and realised there was a galaxy of dust deep within the grooves. I am at my wits end. I have done everything within my own knowledge and power, and have baught a number of products to further experiment with cleaning.

Which brings me to my main question. How can I go about getting rid of dust deep in the grooves, given I can not afford one of those very appealing vacuum machines. Also, is there an easy way to give a surface clean without building up static?

I've read a number of "skinning" methods with pouring glue over the record and then peeling it off later, this is probably what sounds most appealing to me and I am only left with one real concern; How does the vinyl matter itself react to the glues described in these methods... I'm not keen to have some harsh chemical chew through it.

I can't think of much else detail to put into this cry for help, only that one of my most prized albums is The Residents - Duck Stab!... I am unable to play this, I baught it new mere weeks ago and am yet to play it.
Please help, and make me happy     
 

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #1 –
DEVluke,

I think I would refrain from the glue-effect… it just gives me a feeling that traces of some additional gunga (chemical) will be left in the grooves.  What I have used for several decades is a plain and simple warm-water + DiskWasher brush cleaning solution.  I am an ‘over-the-top’ fanatic about clean LPs and the only way I have found that really cleans my LPs is to [wash off under a tap] a standard DiskWasher brand record cleaning brush with warm or hot water just prior to cleaning an LP.  Proceed to vigorously shake off all excess water from the brush and carefully run the brush over the surface of the LP as it spins on the platter.  Redo the process more than once if the LP is particularly dirty.

This process keeps the LP pristine, kills any static that may be built up and avoids all questionable ‘cleaning’ chemicals altogether.

My LP collection is, without a doubt the cleanest around and costs nothing in maintenance product (chemicals).  In addition, I often run a very quite, hepa-filter air-cleaner in the room where I spin vinyl.  I’m sure that we’ve all noticed the dust in the air when a strong beam of light shines through a window.  I’m always amazed at how much crap floats around, suspended in the air as though unaffected by gravity.

This easy-as-pie method of record cleaning and maintenance has proven itself through many years of use.

Andrew D.
www.cdnav.com


PS: If you purchase a used LP that is particularly nasty, feel free to run some warm water (not hot enough to warp the disk), and dump in a wad of soap.  Scrub the old LP with a soft, cotton cloth as much as you wish, avoiding direct friction on the paper-coated label.  The labels can take a lot, but don’t push your luck.  Then rinse the LP really well with clean water, shake it off and give it a brush cleaning as noted above to remove any beaded up water on the surface that may make it’s way up the cantilever assembly on the cartridge while playing.  Generally speaking, you don't want to see any droplets of water on the LP as it plays.

I have an (unsubstantiated) hunch that my method of ‘wet-cleaning’ also serves to very slightly reduce friction between the needle and groove while an LP is playing, [perhaps] removing a wee bit of wear on the groove walls / needle - as the trace moisture left after cleaning (should) act as a general lubricant to some, albeit slight, extent.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #2 –
/jaw drops
thank you very much... best help I've been able to find from anyone so far
joining this forum has already paid off

I think I've read conflicting things about playing whilst moist, e.g. better playback but more wear, and then from other people the idea that it would lubricate to an extent. But anyway, thats not really whats important, I was keen to opt for water cleaning and might try con the parents into buying me an air filter now (father smokes a LOT, so that should help my argument)

Could you direct me to an online store or manufacturer website of the "DiskWasher" because it certainly would help, unless you meant that as a generic term?... I'm guessing something along the lines of a ~6in handle with a foam part covered by deep velvet, correct?

I have 2 of those but haven't tried using them with water, will definately give that a go.

again, thank you
although I have relitively low end equiptment, I still strive to save my records from their impending doom. And I'd say you've helped me a lot with that.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #3 –
LP cleaning is a much discussed topic, for which you will find many threads here and in most other audio forums. I don't have time to get into details right now, having an appointment soon, but I want to warn about tap water because this is easy approach to permanent damage. Much tap water, probably most, contains minerals in significant quantity. Every drop  that is allowed to dry on the LP surface will leave a bumpy residue that you will probably never be able to remove.

I tested my tap water on a microscope slide. Put on a drop or two , allow it to dry completely, find out what is left. In my case I could see a faint white ring at the outer edge of what had been the drop. Several different mineral removing products (intended for sinks, glassware, and such, probably not good on LPs) failed to remove the deposits. There was enough in one drop to disturb a stylus from its travels, producing more clicks. If yours leaves anything behind, it will deposit some of same on your LPs.

Try the Disk Doctor site to read about a good technique. While his materials are good, the procedure can be used with many other brushes and cleaners. Note that the first technique on the page is about his new, no-rinse cleaner. You want to read about the other process, further down the page.
http://www.discdoc.com/p14.html

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #4 –
thanks, I've got a cleaning solution which im pretty sure contains solvents and I've already been warned not to use it.

Would filtered tap water heated be good?
(through a puratap or something)
Or should I buy some demineralised water?

I'll look into buying some Disc Doctor fluid, does it work well unassisted by a vacuum machine?

thanks again

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #6 –
De-ionized water is good. Reverse osmosis filtered water is good. Plain activated charcoal filtering does not remove dissolved minerals, so is not useful for this. Distilled water is probably the most commonly recommended. There are many grades of purified water and they do not depend on the method taken to get there. Generally there is little detailed information on the label unless you go to a laboratory supply dealer. However, probably any you buy at the grocery store is adequate for this job.

In many places, there are reverse osmosis outlets in supermarkets and health food stores. Bring your own bottle and refill for thirty cents per gallon. Around here we have a number of water stores, highly filtered water being the main commodity.

The method of covering with a plastic film, then trying to peel away everything is a big pain. Other methods are cheaper, easier, and quite effective.

Alcohol has been used in LP cleaning solutions for at least 50 years. I've never seen any evidence presented to suggest it is dangerous to vinyl (you are not going to soak the disk for hours in pure alcohol). I've used cleaners containing at least 25% alcohol with no problems resulting. So, unless these solutions contains solvents other than alcohol and water, I would not worry about damage. On the other hand, I believe it very unlikely that many LPs will have anything you want to remove that is not soluble in water and detergent.

Disk Doctor cleaner has a good reputation and the recommended process does not use a vacuum cleaner. There are those who claim that vacuuming the DD cleaner off is a worth while (i.e. audible) step.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #7 –
Quote from: AndyH-ha on
Alcohol has been used in LP cleaning solutions for at least 50 years. I've never seen any evidence presented to suggest it is dangerous to vinyl (you are not going to soak the disk for hours in pure alcohol). I've used cleaners containing at least 25% alcohol with no problems resulting. So, unless these solutions contains solvents other than alcohol and water, I would not worry about damage.


That's what I figured, but Im probably a little to easily persuaded with claims in either direction

Quote from: AndyH-ha on
On the other hand, I believe it very unlikely that many LPs will have anything you want to remove that is not soluble in water and detergent.


Haha, there are some, unfortunately... but on the other hand, fortunately not many


Quote
This is, bar none, the authoritative article on water for vinyl cleaning.

FINDING PURE WATER FOR RECORD CLEANING


read about 1 paragraph and already looks rather informative

thanks

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #8 –
Have you looked at the KAB EV-1? It's only $150.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #9 –
"Haha, there are some, unfortunately"
You have actually found some? By what evidence did you decide this? What amount of alcohol was necessary to overcome these problems disks? How did you use it?

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #10 –
.
AndyH-ha

I dig your ideas with regards to mineral water / filtered water etc., however, in my city, perhaps the water is very free of excess dissolved minerals as my LPs are as quiet as one could ever ask for.  As I stated earlier, I'm pretty much anal about low noise-floors on my vinyl - I use CDs as a base of comparison in what I strive for.  While I'll never get there with vinyl, I have what I would consider the quietest LPs of anyone I have ever met - all by employing simple tap water for a lifting agent.  It’s something that many folks comment on when I spin vinyl at get-togethers.  I guess when folks see one put on vinyl in this day and age; they simply expect a lot of surface noise?

Overall, I’ve been using the method outlined above for a couple of decades and all of my prized vinyl is absolutely primo.

Perhaps it’s that the shape of the stylus on my Shure M97xE:

http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Product...a_M97xE_content

…is such that it’s immune to picking up the microscopic residue which evaporated water leaves behind?

Andrew D.
www.cdnav.com

.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #11 –
I always used alcohol 92 or 98%. On the good old days.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #12 –
I'm not condemning any particular source of water except what comes out of the taps here. I have, however, seen mineral deposits in many other places even though I haven't done testing. "The proof of the pudding ... " if you, or anyone else, is satisfied with results, that's good. I merely suggest that anyone contemplating a new undertaking test first. A little reading about water sources in general will probably convince most people that caution is advisable.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #13 –
And triple that water warning if you live rural.  My water comes out of the ground; spit and sleeve would be better that using that water.

I'm following this with interest as I'm about to record a bunch of vinyl that's been hanging around for 20 (in some cases) years waiting.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #14 –
Dry the records with a dry fluffy "Microfiber towel" which are those blue ones that suck up water insanely good. I never use a normal dish towel again after this great find. I use a 50/50 mix containing distilled water and hospital instrument cleaning alcohol that I buy at the pharmacy. I use the mix with a cloth to apply it to the grooves and then I let it stay in there for a minute the most since the alcohol is not good for the vinyl if it stays on for a long time.

This is how I do it. Regards

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #15 –
Quote from: Axon on
Have you looked at the KAB EV-1? It's only $150.

Have now, and am interested in getting one

Quote from: AndyH-ha on
"Haha, there are some, unfortunately"
You have actually found some? By what evidence did you decide this? What amount of alcohol was necessary to overcome these problems disks? How did you use it?

Not sure what ammount, was using a alcohol based cleaning fluid. Usually happens with fingerprints, oily ones that get almost caked on. Also a recent one with... something on it :\ have no idea, looks like gum or something


Quote from: digital on
.
AndyH-ha

I dig your ideas with regards to mineral water / filtered water etc., however, in my city, perhaps the water is very free of excess dissolved minerals as my LPs are as quiet as one could ever ask for.  As I stated earlier, I'm pretty much anal about low noise-floors on my vinyl - I use CDs as a base of comparison in what I strive for.  While I'll never get there with vinyl, I have what I would consider the quietest LPs of anyone I have ever met - all by employing simple tap water for a lifting agent.  It’s something that many folks comment on when I spin vinyl at get-togethers.  I guess when folks see one put on vinyl in this day and age; they simply expect a lot of surface noise?

Overall, I’ve been using the method outlined above for a couple of decades and all of my prized vinyl is absolutely primo.

Perhaps it’s that the shape of the stylus on my Shure M97xE:

http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Product...a_M97xE_content

…is such that it’s immune to picking up the microscopic residue which evaporated water leaves behind?

Andrew D.
www.cdnav.com

.

I'm guessing the residue from bad water generally wouldn't be audible anyway, and again tap water even tastes different if you move accross town... so "tap water" as a universal term doesn't mean much really. To really know you'd have to test it from your own tap.


Quote from: w1L50n on
And triple that water warning if you live rural.  My water comes out of the ground; spit and sleeve would be better that using that water.

A good example of what I said above.


[edit]
just tried on my "test" subjects and I'm seeing no difference
im using distilled water and an alcohol based cleaner, letting it sit for a minute or so and then wiping around with a deep velvet cleaning brush and then drying with (I know, not ideal) a tea towel (only very lightly patting to remove water)

I'm thinking the next step is to actually get someone to show me their method
Or what I'm seeing is in fact not dirt, and mere signs of wear... which doesn't sound right because it's A) not constant and B) looks like dust

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #16 –
Hydrogen peroxide is one of those 'universal cleaners' that is component of many brand name cleaners (in general....not for records).  Anybody ever hear of or try it vinyl-wise?  The store bought stuff is usually 3%, but food grade can be diluted to whatever (starting at 35%...not recommended).

I may attack Donny Osmond (my test record) with some as a test.

My gut tells me 50/50 distilled water and 99% alcohol would work well as the alcohol will evaporate off and the distilled water shouldn't have residue....but this peroxide thing might be worth a try.  Sorry Donny.

cleaning dusty vinyl

Reply #17 –
I've worked on my "method" a bit more and am having much, MUCH greater results; I'm letting water sit on the record for 2-3 minutes rather than just 1 minute