Hello fellow DIY'ers,
After much research and a few bumps along the road, I've decided to create a new thread to centralize (but hopefully not duplicate) information about making your own DIY Record Cleaning Fluid(s) - abbreviated as RCF's below...
From my research, I can tell people are passionate about the topic, and report satisfaction with a wide variety of fluids and regimes. I readily acknoweldge I am not a purist, or even an audiophile... I just want my records to sound as good as they can within my limitations and also acknowledge my bias to spend less time cleaning, and more time listening, and spend as little money as I can doing both.
I invite diyAudio members to share their success stories, or link to a post that they find useful... think of this as an on-going brain-storming session...
I will post links to relevant threads to make it easier for readers to make up their own minds based on what others have done before...The first link below is what got me interested in researching this topic further:
My next post will share where my research has led me so far, which is a Word document I found on the web, by the author of the AudioKarma thread referenced in the link above.
After much research and a few bumps along the road, I've decided to create a new thread to centralize (but hopefully not duplicate) information about making your own DIY Record Cleaning Fluid(s) - abbreviated as RCF's below...
From my research, I can tell people are passionate about the topic, and report satisfaction with a wide variety of fluids and regimes. I readily acknoweldge I am not a purist, or even an audiophile... I just want my records to sound as good as they can within my limitations and also acknowledge my bias to spend less time cleaning, and more time listening, and spend as little money as I can doing both.
I invite diyAudio members to share their success stories, or link to a post that they find useful... think of this as an on-going brain-storming session...
I will post links to relevant threads to make it easier for readers to make up their own minds based on what others have done before...The first link below is what got me interested in researching this topic further:
- "My Version of an Ultrasonic Record Cleaner, a thread created by member BBFTX" "Post # 1420 by member RRushton": My version of an Ultrasonic Record Cleaner
- The AudioKarma thread referenced in the first link above: Record cleaning- you're doing it wrong! | Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums
A (Very Long) Primer on Record Cleaning Fluids: A (Very Long) Primer on Record Cleaning Fluids | Steve Hoffman Music Forums
My next post will share where my research has led me so far, which is a Word document I found on the web, by the author of the AudioKarma thread referenced in the link above.
Last edited:
This LONG post was found as a Word file on the web. I originally shared it on another thread, but realized it was a bit off-topic, which led me to creating this thread.
My own process to cleaning vinyl record albums is evolving: from playing dirty records, to experiments with dry brushes, rinsing with water, adding alcohol in various percentages, using ready-made RCF's, creating my own vacuum cleaner adapter, and buying a used Spin-clean machine - to most recently ordering some of the chemicals and compounds listed below, which are readily accessible online.
I will post my findings, but also know that I will keep it relatively subjective, since I don't have the tools to be truly scientific about it.
Enjoy the journey and share your findings along the way - Sixto.
Vinyl record cleaning basics
by Dr.Vince
Introduction:
One of the fun parts about vinyl record collecting is finding used LPs for little money at various flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, or music shops and bringing them home for a listen. Most bargain finds are typically very dirty however, and must be cleaned before being played. This is not just for the sake of removing pops and clicks during playback, but it also helps prevent permanent damage to the vinyl record itself or, in the worst case, to your equipment. I’ve seen and heard hundreds of methods for record cleaning but, as a research scientist and audiophile, I found most of them unsatisfactory and some downright reckless. Herein, I describe a four step method for thoroughly yet gently cleaning vinyl records. I include a discussion of what is involved in each step so that one can understand the logic behind the methods and more easily modify the procedure to suit their own needs.
Materials list:
1. Enzyme mix (>500,000U Protease/Amylase/Lipase per Liter) –see discussion
2. Homemade Cleaner (0.2% Triton X-100 in TBE buffer, pH 8)
3. Distilled water
4. Spinclean and/or vacuum record cleaning device
Methods:
Step 1: Rough debris removal. Remove the record and discard the sleeve. Blast the record with a high pressure spray faucet in the sink being careful to protect the label.
Step 2. Enzymatic treatment. Dilute the Enzyme mixture in water and apply evenly to record surface with a pad or Spinclean. Let the enzyme work on the surface for 5-10 minutes at room temperature. Rinse with high pressure water.
Step 3. Detergent wash. Apply Homemade Cleaner using a soft pad, working the fluid in the direction of the grooves. Rinse with high pressure water.
Step 4. Final Rinse. Perform at least two rinses with pure distilled water. Use of a vacuum cleaning machine is highly recommended here.
Let record completely air dry before playing or placing in new sleeve.
Discussion:
To understand how to best clean something, it is useful to understand what it is made of and what sticks to it. Most LP music record discs are made of polyvinyl chloride polymer, better known as PVC, a common plastic. ***Very early records, mostly 78’s were made of shellac resin and this method DOES NOT APPLY
PVC itself is brittle, so softening agents or “plasticizers” (typically phthalates) are typically incorporated into the unmodified PVC polymer. Other chemical agents (UV stabilizers, impact modifiers, etc) can also be added.
The modified PVC is heated and hydraulically pressed between hot master plates that form the audio grooves in the surface. After cooling, the PVC record is trimmed, inspected, and packaged for sale. While even new records can contain dust and debris from the manufacturing process, the more the records are played and handled, the more dirty they get. Needles wear vinyl down and essentially scrape particles of PVC about the surface. Dust from the air deposits on the surface and binds to the PVC via electrostatic interactions. Oils, protein, and sugars from human fingers and from the air also deposit on the surface and not only contribute to helping dust and dirt accumulate, but also serve as food sources for colony formations by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. The microorganisms can be especially troublesome as their secretions further attract debris and some have been shown to physically degrade (think “eat”) plasticized PVC causing permanent damage to the record. Even as a vinyl record is stored away it can accumulate molds and debris from the paper sleeve or cover. Needless to say, with all these ills upon them, contaminated records need to be cleaned, so what is the best method?
The first step is to remove any surface debris so that it doesn’t scratch or get ground into the record in subsequent steps. This is an important first step and is most easily performed by simply blasting with a spray faucet over the sink. Unless your water is extremely hard, tap water is fine at this stage, just make sure it is cold to prevent warpage. Care must be taken to blast the grooved portion of the record only and protect the label from getting soaked as it can get damaged (some labels and inks are more sensitive than others). There are suction cups on-line to protect the label, but unnessesary if you are careful and rotate the record in the stream at the proper angle. You can also accomplish this task in a trough of standing water using a jerking up and down motion if you are having problems with labels or need to use treated water. The ultimate method is using an ultrasonic washer to shake loose debris, but these devices are rather costly.
The second and third steps are to remove adhered material. Clearly any cleaning method must be effective at removing the primary contaminants: PVC particles, dust, dirt, organic compounds (oils, protein, sugars), and microorganisms. Many of these contaminants can be solubilized with a detergent and washed away with water, which is the basis for most commercial record cleaning solutions. However, simple detergent washing is not enough to remove these items when tightly integrated into the record. The deep grooves in vinyl records are perfect holding areas for contaminates so a physical method must be employed to get in there. Even with scrubbing, some contaminates are not easy to dislodge. Substantial help comes from the use of enzymes, particularly lipases, proteases, and amylase that break down macromolecules like lipids (oils), proteins, and carbohydrates (sugars/starch), respectively into smaller molecules that are more easily solubilized. Combinations of these macromolecules are used by microorganisms for attachment so the enzyme treatment also helps remove these contaminants. Hence, in Step 2 of my method, I treat the record with an enzyme mixture made from an enzyme dietary supplement. You can use any enzyme supplement, just make sure it is in capsulated form so you can empty it and that it contains at least a protease, a lipase, and a cellulase (amylase). I use the Nexazyme brand (Bioprosper Labs) as it has these and many other enzymes that are beneficial to removing contaminants and it is relatively inexpensive (about $0.17/capsule as of this writing). Whatever enzyme product you choose, it is preferred in dry form as the enzymes retain their activity and you only need to use a small amount at a time. The contents of one Nexazyme capsule is enough to make 1 Liter of enzyme fluid, just mix it in water. I do not recommend liquid enzyme detergent mixtures like Sporacidin as they loose their activity on the shelf and they contain chemical additives that we do not need to put on our records. Do not worry about enzymes harming the vinyl. Their beauty is that they are specific and only attack their substrates: proteins, starch an oils.
Once broken down, the debris and enzymes must be removed. After rinsing most of the enzyme mix away with water, I employ detergent along with physical disruption to make sure contaminants are removed. Care must be taken to be gentle so as not to damage the vinyl: I recommend soft pads, non-ionic detergent, and balanced pH. Brushes are useful for this, but they must be softer than the vinyl so as not to produce scratches (e.g. Do not use a common scrubbing brush with strong plastic bristles). Soft paint pads, microfiber velvet pads, or commercial record cleaning pads will accomplish the task, just use separate ones for enzyme and for detergent.. For detergent, the most commonly available is Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, a.k.a. SDS or Sodium Lauryl sulfate (or coco-sulfate as it comes from coconut and palm oils). You may recognize this as the first ingredient listed on your shampoo bottle, but I do not recommend using shampoo or dish soap as they contain many other ingredients, including perfumes and oils, that are not compatible with record cleaning. Though pure SDS is available and will work, I prefer a non-ionic synthetic detergent like Triton X-100 (or the related Nonidet NP-40). Triton X-100 is available on line and is the primary detergent used in many commercially sold record cleaning solutions. Note: 100% Triton is very viscous and difficult to work with. I recommend starting with a 10% stock solution for making your cleaner (this stock will be further diluted 1:50 in the cleaner). To balance the pH, a buffer is used, though not entirely necessary. The most common biological buffers are based on TRIS (tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane) as they are relatively inexpensive and non toxic. Some of the interactions between contaminants are stabilized by mineral ions like magnesium and calcium that are also present in tap water. To aid in their removal, an ion chelating agent known as EDTA is useful. Hence, in Step 3 of the procedure, I use the detergent Triton X-100 (at 0.2%) in TBE buffer (TRIS-Borate and EDTA at pH 8.0). The solution is equivalent to many of the commercial cleaners sold for record cleaning so it is also useful for routine cleaning of no-so-dirty records where the enzymatic treatment step is skipped. Commercial record cleaning agents are expensive and as a result, many people use them sparingly or re-use solutions for multiple records. The Homemade cleaner is inexpensive enough to be used in copious amounts so flood the record surface and use fresh for each record. The cleaner is best removed with high pressure water.
A final rinse is needed to remove all traces of detergent and contaminants. Distilled water is best for this purpose and it should be applied at least twice to take advantage of dilution. The best way to perform this task is with a vacuum cleaning device. If you do not have a vacuum cleaner, you can make a padded wand device attached to a Shop-Vac (many described on-line) or simply wipe the record down with a microfiber cloth, but a good vacuum record cleaning machine is a great investment. Do not use tap water for final rinsing as it contains dissolved ions (mineral salts) that can leave damaging deposits on the record. Some people insist on the adding a small amount of alcohol (5-10% Ethanol or Isopropanol) to the rinse for a variety of reasons (claim it helps aid fluid dispersal, debris removal, sterilization, and drying). Research has found that alcohol can leach out some of the previously mentioned chemical agents that are incorporated into the PVC during the manufacturing process. Whether this occurs at the prescribed low concentrations and brief exposures, or has any long-term effects on the vinyl integrity is up for discussion. In any case, I highly recommend a pure distilled water final rinse.
After complete drying, place the clean record into a new sleeve for protection. The old sleeve should be considered contaminated and it belongs in the trash, unless it is of historical significance, in which case it needs to be cleaned by a document preservation specialist. I recommend anti-static HDPE type sleeves (e.g. Mobile Fidelity Original Master Sleeves). Do not use PVC as it can bind to the PVC record over time. Paper is not recommended either as it holds moisture, hence, is conducive to microorganism growth.
Finally, what about the album cover? It is dirty and likely smells of mildew, tobacco, or funky Grandma’s house and must also be treated so as not to cause cross-contamination to records as they are routinely handled simultaneously. Surface treatment is the first line of defense, and typically a diluted soap or household cleaner is useful (Note: this will likely remove or smudge a bit of ink so do not use this method on historically significant or valuable covers). The Sporacidin product, or a bit of your left over enzyme mix diluted in detergent also works well on the covers. However, the best method to remove smells and kill microbes is through the use of an ozone generator. Ozone (sometimes called trioxygen), is a powerful oxidant that is toxic to microorganisms and neutralizes odors. The cover is placed in a plastic tub and ozone from a generator (at least 3500mg/hr) is piped in for a 1 hour period. You can easily find ozone generators on Amazon and elsewhere as they are routinely used in the flood remediation and auto detailing industries. Make sure you gas the covers only, as high ozone can break down PVC.
In practice, when I get home from a day of record buying, I will take a batch of 20 or so old LPs from their covers and put them aside. The covers will go in a dish rack inside a plastic tub and I’ll start the ozone generator. Then I’ll start removing records from their sleeves and start the wash protocol. By the time the records are dry and in their new sleeves, the treated covers will be ready to receive them. Cheers!
My own process to cleaning vinyl record albums is evolving: from playing dirty records, to experiments with dry brushes, rinsing with water, adding alcohol in various percentages, using ready-made RCF's, creating my own vacuum cleaner adapter, and buying a used Spin-clean machine - to most recently ordering some of the chemicals and compounds listed below, which are readily accessible online.
I will post my findings, but also know that I will keep it relatively subjective, since I don't have the tools to be truly scientific about it.
Enjoy the journey and share your findings along the way - Sixto.
Vinyl record cleaning basics
by Dr.Vince
Introduction:
One of the fun parts about vinyl record collecting is finding used LPs for little money at various flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, or music shops and bringing them home for a listen. Most bargain finds are typically very dirty however, and must be cleaned before being played. This is not just for the sake of removing pops and clicks during playback, but it also helps prevent permanent damage to the vinyl record itself or, in the worst case, to your equipment. I’ve seen and heard hundreds of methods for record cleaning but, as a research scientist and audiophile, I found most of them unsatisfactory and some downright reckless. Herein, I describe a four step method for thoroughly yet gently cleaning vinyl records. I include a discussion of what is involved in each step so that one can understand the logic behind the methods and more easily modify the procedure to suit their own needs.
Materials list:
1. Enzyme mix (>500,000U Protease/Amylase/Lipase per Liter) –see discussion
2. Homemade Cleaner (0.2% Triton X-100 in TBE buffer, pH 8)
3. Distilled water
4. Spinclean and/or vacuum record cleaning device
Methods:
Step 1: Rough debris removal. Remove the record and discard the sleeve. Blast the record with a high pressure spray faucet in the sink being careful to protect the label.
Step 2. Enzymatic treatment. Dilute the Enzyme mixture in water and apply evenly to record surface with a pad or Spinclean. Let the enzyme work on the surface for 5-10 minutes at room temperature. Rinse with high pressure water.
Step 3. Detergent wash. Apply Homemade Cleaner using a soft pad, working the fluid in the direction of the grooves. Rinse with high pressure water.
Step 4. Final Rinse. Perform at least two rinses with pure distilled water. Use of a vacuum cleaning machine is highly recommended here.
Let record completely air dry before playing or placing in new sleeve.
Discussion:
To understand how to best clean something, it is useful to understand what it is made of and what sticks to it. Most LP music record discs are made of polyvinyl chloride polymer, better known as PVC, a common plastic. ***Very early records, mostly 78’s were made of shellac resin and this method DOES NOT APPLY
PVC itself is brittle, so softening agents or “plasticizers” (typically phthalates) are typically incorporated into the unmodified PVC polymer. Other chemical agents (UV stabilizers, impact modifiers, etc) can also be added.
The modified PVC is heated and hydraulically pressed between hot master plates that form the audio grooves in the surface. After cooling, the PVC record is trimmed, inspected, and packaged for sale. While even new records can contain dust and debris from the manufacturing process, the more the records are played and handled, the more dirty they get. Needles wear vinyl down and essentially scrape particles of PVC about the surface. Dust from the air deposits on the surface and binds to the PVC via electrostatic interactions. Oils, protein, and sugars from human fingers and from the air also deposit on the surface and not only contribute to helping dust and dirt accumulate, but also serve as food sources for colony formations by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. The microorganisms can be especially troublesome as their secretions further attract debris and some have been shown to physically degrade (think “eat”) plasticized PVC causing permanent damage to the record. Even as a vinyl record is stored away it can accumulate molds and debris from the paper sleeve or cover. Needless to say, with all these ills upon them, contaminated records need to be cleaned, so what is the best method?
The first step is to remove any surface debris so that it doesn’t scratch or get ground into the record in subsequent steps. This is an important first step and is most easily performed by simply blasting with a spray faucet over the sink. Unless your water is extremely hard, tap water is fine at this stage, just make sure it is cold to prevent warpage. Care must be taken to blast the grooved portion of the record only and protect the label from getting soaked as it can get damaged (some labels and inks are more sensitive than others). There are suction cups on-line to protect the label, but unnessesary if you are careful and rotate the record in the stream at the proper angle. You can also accomplish this task in a trough of standing water using a jerking up and down motion if you are having problems with labels or need to use treated water. The ultimate method is using an ultrasonic washer to shake loose debris, but these devices are rather costly.
The second and third steps are to remove adhered material. Clearly any cleaning method must be effective at removing the primary contaminants: PVC particles, dust, dirt, organic compounds (oils, protein, sugars), and microorganisms. Many of these contaminants can be solubilized with a detergent and washed away with water, which is the basis for most commercial record cleaning solutions. However, simple detergent washing is not enough to remove these items when tightly integrated into the record. The deep grooves in vinyl records are perfect holding areas for contaminates so a physical method must be employed to get in there. Even with scrubbing, some contaminates are not easy to dislodge. Substantial help comes from the use of enzymes, particularly lipases, proteases, and amylase that break down macromolecules like lipids (oils), proteins, and carbohydrates (sugars/starch), respectively into smaller molecules that are more easily solubilized. Combinations of these macromolecules are used by microorganisms for attachment so the enzyme treatment also helps remove these contaminants. Hence, in Step 2 of my method, I treat the record with an enzyme mixture made from an enzyme dietary supplement. You can use any enzyme supplement, just make sure it is in capsulated form so you can empty it and that it contains at least a protease, a lipase, and a cellulase (amylase). I use the Nexazyme brand (Bioprosper Labs) as it has these and many other enzymes that are beneficial to removing contaminants and it is relatively inexpensive (about $0.17/capsule as of this writing). Whatever enzyme product you choose, it is preferred in dry form as the enzymes retain their activity and you only need to use a small amount at a time. The contents of one Nexazyme capsule is enough to make 1 Liter of enzyme fluid, just mix it in water. I do not recommend liquid enzyme detergent mixtures like Sporacidin as they loose their activity on the shelf and they contain chemical additives that we do not need to put on our records. Do not worry about enzymes harming the vinyl. Their beauty is that they are specific and only attack their substrates: proteins, starch an oils.
Once broken down, the debris and enzymes must be removed. After rinsing most of the enzyme mix away with water, I employ detergent along with physical disruption to make sure contaminants are removed. Care must be taken to be gentle so as not to damage the vinyl: I recommend soft pads, non-ionic detergent, and balanced pH. Brushes are useful for this, but they must be softer than the vinyl so as not to produce scratches (e.g. Do not use a common scrubbing brush with strong plastic bristles). Soft paint pads, microfiber velvet pads, or commercial record cleaning pads will accomplish the task, just use separate ones for enzyme and for detergent.. For detergent, the most commonly available is Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, a.k.a. SDS or Sodium Lauryl sulfate (or coco-sulfate as it comes from coconut and palm oils). You may recognize this as the first ingredient listed on your shampoo bottle, but I do not recommend using shampoo or dish soap as they contain many other ingredients, including perfumes and oils, that are not compatible with record cleaning. Though pure SDS is available and will work, I prefer a non-ionic synthetic detergent like Triton X-100 (or the related Nonidet NP-40). Triton X-100 is available on line and is the primary detergent used in many commercially sold record cleaning solutions. Note: 100% Triton is very viscous and difficult to work with. I recommend starting with a 10% stock solution for making your cleaner (this stock will be further diluted 1:50 in the cleaner). To balance the pH, a buffer is used, though not entirely necessary. The most common biological buffers are based on TRIS (tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane) as they are relatively inexpensive and non toxic. Some of the interactions between contaminants are stabilized by mineral ions like magnesium and calcium that are also present in tap water. To aid in their removal, an ion chelating agent known as EDTA is useful. Hence, in Step 3 of the procedure, I use the detergent Triton X-100 (at 0.2%) in TBE buffer (TRIS-Borate and EDTA at pH 8.0). The solution is equivalent to many of the commercial cleaners sold for record cleaning so it is also useful for routine cleaning of no-so-dirty records where the enzymatic treatment step is skipped. Commercial record cleaning agents are expensive and as a result, many people use them sparingly or re-use solutions for multiple records. The Homemade cleaner is inexpensive enough to be used in copious amounts so flood the record surface and use fresh for each record. The cleaner is best removed with high pressure water.
A final rinse is needed to remove all traces of detergent and contaminants. Distilled water is best for this purpose and it should be applied at least twice to take advantage of dilution. The best way to perform this task is with a vacuum cleaning device. If you do not have a vacuum cleaner, you can make a padded wand device attached to a Shop-Vac (many described on-line) or simply wipe the record down with a microfiber cloth, but a good vacuum record cleaning machine is a great investment. Do not use tap water for final rinsing as it contains dissolved ions (mineral salts) that can leave damaging deposits on the record. Some people insist on the adding a small amount of alcohol (5-10% Ethanol or Isopropanol) to the rinse for a variety of reasons (claim it helps aid fluid dispersal, debris removal, sterilization, and drying). Research has found that alcohol can leach out some of the previously mentioned chemical agents that are incorporated into the PVC during the manufacturing process. Whether this occurs at the prescribed low concentrations and brief exposures, or has any long-term effects on the vinyl integrity is up for discussion. In any case, I highly recommend a pure distilled water final rinse.
After complete drying, place the clean record into a new sleeve for protection. The old sleeve should be considered contaminated and it belongs in the trash, unless it is of historical significance, in which case it needs to be cleaned by a document preservation specialist. I recommend anti-static HDPE type sleeves (e.g. Mobile Fidelity Original Master Sleeves). Do not use PVC as it can bind to the PVC record over time. Paper is not recommended either as it holds moisture, hence, is conducive to microorganism growth.
Finally, what about the album cover? It is dirty and likely smells of mildew, tobacco, or funky Grandma’s house and must also be treated so as not to cause cross-contamination to records as they are routinely handled simultaneously. Surface treatment is the first line of defense, and typically a diluted soap or household cleaner is useful (Note: this will likely remove or smudge a bit of ink so do not use this method on historically significant or valuable covers). The Sporacidin product, or a bit of your left over enzyme mix diluted in detergent also works well on the covers. However, the best method to remove smells and kill microbes is through the use of an ozone generator. Ozone (sometimes called trioxygen), is a powerful oxidant that is toxic to microorganisms and neutralizes odors. The cover is placed in a plastic tub and ozone from a generator (at least 3500mg/hr) is piped in for a 1 hour period. You can easily find ozone generators on Amazon and elsewhere as they are routinely used in the flood remediation and auto detailing industries. Make sure you gas the covers only, as high ozone can break down PVC.
In practice, when I get home from a day of record buying, I will take a batch of 20 or so old LPs from their covers and put them aside. The covers will go in a dish rack inside a plastic tub and I’ll start the ozone generator. Then I’ll start removing records from their sleeves and start the wash protocol. By the time the records are dry and in their new sleeves, the treated covers will be ready to receive them. Cheers!
Hi Sixto, great effort to put this together. I appreciate the info. I have been using 20-50% alcohol solution in distiled water with just a drop of NP9. Works for me most of the time.
However, there seems to be some stubborn records with mold or else, which remain dirty. I was wondering, is chlorox safe on records? Anybody tried it?
However, there seems to be some stubborn records with mold or else, which remain dirty. I was wondering, is chlorox safe on records? Anybody tried it?
Thanks Adason, I have not come across any references to Clorox in my research. I think it may be too strong, but without testing, it's all speculation. I am using a pre-packaged enzyme mix and still getting some pops and clicks, even though the vinyl looks spotless to my eyes after cleaning. (Not bothersome enough to make me want to spend on an ultrasonic kit yet).
Enjoying the journey, Sixto.
Great idea! As wonderful as the forums are, the problem is having the information scattered throughout a several hundred page thread. Someone should bring the relevant conclusions together in one place.
A great thread. Also a great example of the problem with long threads I mentioned above. Chock full of great information, but it would take a couple of weeks to read it all.
Another great thread. Especially if you have a couple of weeks to spare.
Thankfully this one isn't actually "Very Long," it only runs two pages.
Unfortunately it is filled with misinformation. Do yourself a favor and ignore it.
There is another one that should be recommended. The guy who started the "You're Doing It Wrong" thread on AudioKarma, posting at the time as guest110, eventually got chased off the thread by troll activity. Later he came back and posted further under the username Dr Vince till the trolls chased him off again. Still later he posted as Phantomrebel. He's a chemist as well as a music lover. (For some reason it enrages people on the internet when someone who knows what he's talking about comes on to help.)
Anyway, he wrote a thread to bring together all the information he had shared before. Caution: there's a lot of science in it:
Record Cleaning, A Comprehensive Resource | Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums
It's a closed thread, so no comments or questions, just his views and a lot of chemistry. It's applicable to ultrasonic cleaners, vacuum record cleaning machines, or manual cleaning. Contains extensive footnotes.
The other guy you mentioned, RRushton, was very active in the discussion on both the "My Version of an Ultrasonic Record Cleaner" thread and the "You're Doing It Wrong" thread, then later pulled together the information into a single article, which was published by Positive Feedback. Ultrasonic Cleaning
That's just one view of what you might use in an RCF. The thread starter on the "My Version..." thread, BBFTX, is a proponent of a very minimalist fluid, just distilled water and a little alcohol and possibly a smidgen of a surfactant like PhotoFlo or the equivalent. And air drying, with no rinse.
Reading the long threads, it's hard to judge for yourself what to try. Everybody reports great results, from the Armorall guys to the wood glue guys to the minimalists like BBFTX to the obsessives like RRushton. So who ya gonna believe? I can't make your decision for you, but I'll mention what I've settled on after trying a lot of different things: I use a recipe based on guest110/dr vince/phantomrebel's recommendation, in my DIY ultrasonic tank, followed by two rinses ala RRushton, followed by vacuum drying on a VPI. Only if a records starts off extra dirty do I do a pre-wash with a harsher cleaner, and then clean it off on either the VPI or the Keith Monks (yes, I have both--I've been chasing clean records for a very long time) followed by the whole ultrasonic regimen.
What's driving me crazy is no one talks about commercially available enzyme cleaners. I'm not about to take ******* pills apart for every record and get whatever starch etc in them all over.
IMO alcohol doesn't work that great. I've been using it for awhile. And I use Triton-X100, and Hepistat. None of these are very good at breaking up dirt. They're OK for cleaning records, but not impressive. Physical stimulation doesn't do much because you can't get in the groves worth a damn.
It's obvious to me that several audiophile products out there are nothing more than simple mixtures, but no one knows what. Paranoia basically keeps everyone at bay, thinking the manufacturers know something deeply intrinsic about vinyl that someone like the Dr does not.
Anyways, I've increased the amount of Triton X-100 I use a bit. You have to physically stimulate the water a lot more to get it to actually collect the dirt, as is, so a little extra isn't so bad.
Alcohol makes static on records. A rinse with a tiny bit of hepistat in distilled water fixes that.
IMO alcohol doesn't work that great. I've been using it for awhile. And I use Triton-X100, and Hepistat. None of these are very good at breaking up dirt. They're OK for cleaning records, but not impressive. Physical stimulation doesn't do much because you can't get in the groves worth a damn.
It's obvious to me that several audiophile products out there are nothing more than simple mixtures, but no one knows what. Paranoia basically keeps everyone at bay, thinking the manufacturers know something deeply intrinsic about vinyl that someone like the Dr does not.
Anyways, I've increased the amount of Triton X-100 I use a bit. You have to physically stimulate the water a lot more to get it to actually collect the dirt, as is, so a little extra isn't so bad.
Alcohol makes static on records. A rinse with a tiny bit of hepistat in distilled water fixes that.
I haven't concluded that the alcohol causes any problems with lubricant. Some old records are just old, nothing can change that. But it definitely builds a static charge if you don't rinse. (regardless of how well it's removed, it's the ionic nature)
But there HAS to be someone that's qualified to talk about enzyme cleaners. We should only be using very minor amounts of alcohol given that it isn't a surfactant (detergent), and it doesn't do much.
But there HAS to be someone that's qualified to talk about enzyme cleaners. We should only be using very minor amounts of alcohol given that it isn't a surfactant (detergent), and it doesn't do much.
Here is the final vinyl guru Neil Antin, Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records first and second edition.
The Vinyl Press -
The Vinyl Press -
I am using the Manual Cleaning Guidance in the Neil Antin - Aqueous Cleaning Document.
I am using the Pre Clean and Rinse Items as shown for the UK.
I have weighed as a accurate control the Ratio for Mixing a Rinse Solution.
The results are extremely pleasing and there are a few added stages to the cleaning I can build on, that might yield further positive impressions.
I am using the Pre Clean and Rinse Items as shown for the UK.
I have weighed as a accurate control the Ratio for Mixing a Rinse Solution.
The results are extremely pleasing and there are a few added stages to the cleaning I can build on, that might yield further positive impressions.
There was a radio station in Chicago that got S/N ratio of 95+ dB, they had a record washer with a spray suck arrangement.
They used 25% ethyl alcohol in de ionized water, and used fresh paper sleeves after every use.
The records were washed before and after being played, and they used the Shure cartridges with carbon fiber brushes.
I read it in 'Audio' magazine in the 80s...
They used 25% ethyl alcohol in de ionized water, and used fresh paper sleeves after every use.
The records were washed before and after being played, and they used the Shure cartridges with carbon fiber brushes.
I read it in 'Audio' magazine in the 80s...
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