Eccentric or bona fide (mainly about cleaning records)?

I came across this site in my search to find an answer to questions I have about how to clean records (it's rather long and take some digesting, but it's not really over-technical). I am just as confused as ever, but this guy has some very strong views that could be helpful if it's not BS. I'm curious what those of you out there might think. The cleaning stuff starts about a third of the way down. There is quite a lot of repetition and some terrible writing but for the most part he seems to know what he is talking about (I know there are plenty of threads here on cleaning but I'm none the wiser - I don't know who to believe, especially as regards water ...):

http://cleaningvinyllps.blogspot.jp

 

Most record stores I've been to clean their used vinyl with only windex or some other window cleaner and a cloth. That's it. Not even a rinse afterward.

Every used record I buy at said stores is typically in great shape and has lasted a long time without me having to clean it. Seems to me as if there's a whole lot of overthinking going on. Vinyl is a pretty tough material.

 

Thanks. I bought a basic Audio Technica brush and a liquid; you are supposed to occasionally put some drops in two holes and give the record a quick wipe . That's the most I've done and like you I've never done much more, but I feel sure there is tons of dirt in the records. I just want to know the safest and easiest way to go, but I am very wary of tap water and over-elaborate systems. I am not a collector, to boot.

I should add that an post by Raunchnroll is the most appealing to me so far:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/attn-best-diy-way-to-clean-a-vinyl-record.252413/page-2

where he wrote:

'... we have soft water here, plus, we have a filter. So yes, I use tap or filtered water.

But I would check your water quality first. If you have hard water or the mineral content is to high consider a filter for your tap and use distilled water for the final/last rinse.

My steps are: first initial wash under running water to get all dust etc. off + break any static cling / cleaning process (I do this by hand) / final rinse / dry with cotton bath towel.

Been doing this decades. No, I never get the label wet. Its easy once you get the feel for it....
we have soft water here, plus, we have a filter. So yes, I use tap or filtered water.

But I would check your water quality first. If you have hard water or the mineral content is to high consider a filter for your tap and use distilled water for the final/last rinse.

My steps are: first initial wash under running water to get all dust etc. off + break any static cling / cleaning process (I do this by hand) / final rinse / dry with cotton bath towel.

Been doing this decades. No, I never get the label wet. Its easy once you get the feel for it....'

 

I think the first thing to evaluate is the amount of gunk on your stylus after playing a record side. Use a magnifying glass to look at it. If the record is clean there will be very very little stuff on the stylus and it will easily lift off with even the lightest brushstroke. If there is significant gunk or it is hard to remove then you have s serious issue with cleaning the record.

The part of the method I would question is using a regular towel as they shed fibres. Use a plain lint free cloth that doesn't have some chemical treatment in it.

Personally I have not had great success with water based solutions as opposed to alcohol solutions. The alcohol solutions simply seem to clean more deeply. If you can spare $200 there is a manual operated vacuum cleaner from Nitty Gritty called the Record Doctor.

 

Right. You speak sense. I'm surprised more people don't note that, about the stylus. And the towels, certainly. But I'm a LONG way from being able to shell out that kind of money, albeit no one has a bad word to to say about vacuums.

 

I might be answering my own question here but this seems the most conservative and safest way to go about it, short of getting the Disc Doctor. I only found this because I was trying to check out whether the record cleaning cloths I got from Disc Union in Japan had lint in them. That is a bug-bear of mine, in Japan, finding the equivalent of which cleaning materials are recommended in the English-speaking world:

http://www.vinylrecordfair.com/clean-vinyl-records/

 

If it is a new record it only needs a light wet cleaning. If there is little or no gunk on the stylus after playing a side of a used record then just brush any dust off and return it in the cover. If there is gunk or residue sticking to the stylus then more drastic action needs to be taken such as the treatments described above or in the link. If there is gunk deep in the groove it will likely require an alcohol solution to loosen. You need to play the record again after cleaning to verify it is actually clean. You may also need a stylus cleaner if gunk is baked to the stylus.

Some years ago I bought a slightly used cartridge according to the seller. When I got it the cartridge did look new but the needle was about twice its normal size. It took me an hour to remove all the baked gunk on the stylus even with Last stylus cleaner. The seller used the cartridge probably for no more than 50-100 hours but his records were so dirty that the stylus was completely covered with baked gunk in that short period. No wonder he didn't like the cartridge.

 

Can anybody clarify this:

'Now, gently rub your cloth-covered soapy finger over the vinyl record in a circular motion along the grooves.

Go in concentric circles clockwise from the centre around the record until you reach the outside edge.

Then go in the opposite direction – counter-clockwise around the record spiralling inwards towards the label – like the stylus does.'

Does this mean describe small circles as you follow the grooves around the recordsor go from the centre spindle to the edge whilst turning the record clockwise and then anti- clockwise? I can't work out whether you are supposed to follow the grooves or clean across them.

 

I can hardly believe he could get anything but huge distortion from a stylus in that state. I only need to pick up a bit of dust and I can hear the effect.

 

Thinking about this a bit, it must mean following the grooves around like you would if you had individual tracks. The tracks are obviously concentric circles. That must be what the writer means.

 

I use a vacuum to remove dust and debris. I then use a hand held steam cleaner for deep cleaning and then wipe off the excess with a microfiber towel. Final clean and polish by hand with AM record cleaner and a clean microfiber towel. The water I put into the steam cleaner is filtered tap water.

 

Lotsa over thinking, yes. People clean their $$$ sports cars with far worse solutions.