To clean or not to clean.

Do whatever you want. I clean mine. It takes about 2 minutes. My priority is to keep my stylus clean. If you are lazy, vinyl might not be for you. I mean, in this day and age, you can grab a tablet and play your entire collection and pick albums without getting off your couch. I paid $500 for my Okki Nokki, I didn't spend that kind of money so I could chose not to use it. To me, forking over a 1/2 K is deciding you are all in on cleaning records. I could have bought a lot of records with the money I spend on that machine.

 

I clean all my new records, i have about 8 albums waiting to be cleaned, records have mold release agent on them
my moth pro RCM and L art du son does a good job, into nagoka or mobile fidelity inner sleeves to complete
I had a record doctor RCM but it got to hot and slightly warped a couple of albums
The moth mk2 pro is metal and has forced air cooling, it,s good enough for the BBC

MOTH Moth RCM Pro MkII Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine vinyl at Juno Records.

 

I've always heard its best to clean new records and never (to my recollection) heard its better not to. I clean them all.

 

What they said ^

Washing before play is preferable but no cleaning is better than improper cleaning.

When I got my Beatles Mono box I listened to a few records. They sounded great and very quiet but a few tics. So I washed the whole box set and then I listened back only to find that the discs I had already played were now very noisy. I washed again with distilled water only and all noise was gone. After cleaning that whole set twice I learned to go easy on cleaning fluid and rinse thoroughly.

Nowadays if the disc looks clean I'll just brush it and play it before I decide to wash.

 

I don't have any really good vinyl cleaning gear...but every disc that goes on my TT gets a little kiss from the Discwasher. I mean, why not...

 

I've only cleaned one record in my life... with beer. It didn't work so well.

 

Lol! Was it the shake & spray with thumb over bottle method or the stagger & spill method you employed?

 

The stagger & 'knock over the can' method

 

I find new records need a first cleaning before playing or they have pops, crackles and clicks.

Bought a reissue of King Crimson Larks Tongue LP which was very noisy right out of the wrapper. Gave it a cleaning and it is now quiet.