Isopropylic alcohol, destiled water and a bit of mild detergent. I really do not like washing vinyl, as sound seems to be worse after, but if you want to do it this is it. Also check TNT audio for more info.
Hi, Marcelo
This question is as old as the LP's🙂
I made some efforts in the past to clean them and some were successful. I can't afford a pro-cleaning machine so most of the time I play them wet. Some say no problem; some say one should never play them wet. For a (almost) complete list, visit this fine websites. You'll be there four ours 😎
http://www.google.be/search?q=cleaning+records&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=nl&meta=
/Hugo - Like the wet-sound
This question is as old as the LP's🙂
I made some efforts in the past to clean them and some were successful. I can't afford a pro-cleaning machine so most of the time I play them wet. Some say no problem; some say one should never play them wet. For a (almost) complete list, visit this fine websites. You'll be there four ours 😎
http://www.google.be/search?q=cleaning+records&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=nl&meta=
/Hugo - Like the wet-sound
What I've been using for aeons is
1 part isopropyl alcohol
3 parts purified / distilled water
a couple of drops of Photoflo wetting agent (as little as possible)
I don't like putting detergent on LPs, as it never seems to come off properly, something confirmed by an industrial chemist / audiophile I know, and also Art Dudley of Listener mag, who is himself an industrial chemist. My mix costs about 1/2 c to clean an LP if you buy the isopropyl alcohol from an industrial supplier in 10 litre drums (enough for many years)
DIY record cleaners are easy to make. An old DD TT, a vacuum cleaner, and make a nozzle tube that's the same width as the playing surface of an LP.
One example: http://www.teresaudio.com/haven/cleaner/cleaner.html
HTH
Cheers
1 part isopropyl alcohol
3 parts purified / distilled water
a couple of drops of Photoflo wetting agent (as little as possible)
I don't like putting detergent on LPs, as it never seems to come off properly, something confirmed by an industrial chemist / audiophile I know, and also Art Dudley of Listener mag, who is himself an industrial chemist. My mix costs about 1/2 c to clean an LP if you buy the isopropyl alcohol from an industrial supplier in 10 litre drums (enough for many years)
DIY record cleaners are easy to make. An old DD TT, a vacuum cleaner, and make a nozzle tube that's the same width as the playing surface of an LP.
One example: http://www.teresaudio.com/haven/cleaner/cleaner.html
HTH
Cheers
Netlist said:
My RCM is very similar. Years ago RCMs were hard to come by in Australia, and very expensive, so we made some, and they work well. If you use an old DD TT as the base get one with a strong motor as my wet/dry shopvac can just stop any TT, except my SP10s.
Personaly,I don't know the best way to clean LPs!I would say that Iprefer not to have to wash it.
The method I use is unorthodox but gave me best results.I have tried listen LP before and after washing.The sound was cleaner,more subtle,more defined with good condition LPs.Anyway,as the LP was used,it reaveled its bad state.
I take some pure cellulose paper towels,such as the one i have in the jacks.I use some pure ethanol,means 95 percent ethanol and 5 percent methanol.As it is extremely pure,as soon as it is in contact with cellulose it begins to disapear.So I clean the LP,and ethanol traces disapear very quickly.
I don't know if it is a bad thing for the vinyl itself,but as the cellulose is wet it doesn't leave build up into the groove.My very cruel lamp says it so.
for normal use I take the carbon fiber to remove build up.And I never clean an Lp twice,as I take special care of them.Unfortunately second hand LPs are very dirty,very often...
Regards
The method I use is unorthodox but gave me best results.I have tried listen LP before and after washing.The sound was cleaner,more subtle,more defined with good condition LPs.Anyway,as the LP was used,it reaveled its bad state.
I take some pure cellulose paper towels,such as the one i have in the jacks.I use some pure ethanol,means 95 percent ethanol and 5 percent methanol.As it is extremely pure,as soon as it is in contact with cellulose it begins to disapear.So I clean the LP,and ethanol traces disapear very quickly.
I don't know if it is a bad thing for the vinyl itself,but as the cellulose is wet it doesn't leave build up into the groove.My very cruel lamp says it so.
for normal use I take the carbon fiber to remove build up.And I never clean an Lp twice,as I take special care of them.Unfortunately second hand LPs are very dirty,very often...
Regards
Nar,
Be careful. Ethanol leaches out the plasticisers in the vinyl, which makes it more brittle, and potentially liable to damage from the stylus as it wiggles it's way through the grooves.
Be careful. Ethanol leaches out the plasticisers in the vinyl, which makes it more brittle, and potentially liable to damage from the stylus as it wiggles it's way through the grooves.
The Good Stuff
There are two good methods I have used over the years to clean LPs, both on the platter, and machine-based (vacuum):
Try the Discwasher devive and D4 cleaning fluid for orutine cleaning on the platter. This method uses a special directional fiber pad that is moistened with the cleaning fluid. It is not very expensive, and readily available.
Discwasher D4
For vacuum cleaning, I like the Nitty Gritty machine:
Nitty Gritty
Hope this helps you enjoy a quiet and pop-free evening!
Bob
There are two good methods I have used over the years to clean LPs, both on the platter, and machine-based (vacuum):
Try the Discwasher devive and D4 cleaning fluid for orutine cleaning on the platter. This method uses a special directional fiber pad that is moistened with the cleaning fluid. It is not very expensive, and readily available.
Discwasher D4
For vacuum cleaning, I like the Nitty Gritty machine:
Nitty Gritty
Hope this helps you enjoy a quiet and pop-free evening!
Bob
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