Cleaning my Records?

asimmd

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What would you suggest to clean dust etc off the records.
I see there are Anti-Static brushes and those that you put on the record while
its playing and it tracks across.

Any advice appreciated.
 
I use a Spin-Clean, which is really effective. I tend to do records in batches as the water doesn't really keep. For ad-hoc cleaning I use a couple of microfiber cloths (one for putting the record on and the other for cleaning), fill a spray bottle with a record cleaning solution of your choice (I use l'Art du Son). Personally I avoid alcohol based solutions as they can, over the long term, damage the vinyl.
 
Thanks mark363.
There are so many different products available it's difficult
to know which work and which are just no good.
 
For the small outlay involved there is little reason to be without a carbon fibre brush. Use it before every play.The drawback is that if the amount of dust is significant it is inclined to just accumulate in straight line and is left there when the brush is lifted off. It can be mitigated by moving the brush position gradually to the edge of the record as it spins - kind of the reverse of what happens with the other type you mention. Those 'dust bug' types have fallen from favour because (among other reasons) they tend to vibrate, however minutely, and muddy the sound because the cartridge may pick up those vibrations.

Short of the full wet cleaning systems used by Mark363 is a tacky roller like the Nagaoka CL-1000. It works just like one of those you use to get hairs and dust of a jacket but I wouldn't recommend using the clothing roller on your records!

If your records are really mucky Marks recommendation is sound though the sky is the limit when investing in the equipment and if you don't have a lot of records the outlay is hard to justify.

If only small number of records are involved,most hifi shops offer record cleaning services. Once cleaned on a motorised machine the carbon fibre brush should take care of the rest.

Clean records are the best upgrade anyone can make to a vinyl system:)

Jim
 
There are TWO Types of cleaning. One I refer to as Cleaning, which means wiping the record off just before you play it. The other is Washing, which is what the SpinClean device does.

Personally I uses some stretch velvet I bought as a scarp from a Fabric Store. I use a small spray bottle with Distilled Water to spritz the velvet before wiping the records. The fine mist spritz helps dust cling to the velvet, and seems to work well.

But a Carbon Fiber or other similar brush made specifically for record cleaning will work fine.

Spin Clean Vinyl Washer System - Superfi

Project Brush-IT Record Cleaning Brush - Superfi

Audioquest The Carbon Fiber Record Brush

This a a pre-play disc cleaner that uses more of a velvet surface to clean the records. -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RCA-RD-1006-Discwasher-T53107-Record-Care/dp/B0009K63IY

The Discwasher (just above) has been around for DECADES in various versions.

Wash Your Vinyl Records - Easy & Cheap

Steve/bluewizard
 
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I use 2 Knosti baths one for cleaning and one for rinsing. I also use the modified clamp from highqual.co.uk which protects the LP labels better. I find the results quite surprising in that disc noise is much reduced and on some records virtually non-existent.:)
 

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