Please,teach me how to wet clean records with MoFi's brush and One Cleaning Solution.

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Kiko1974, Feb 12, 2018.

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  1. Kiko1974

    Kiko1974 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I received today the MoFi cleaning brush and a bottle of One Cleaning Solution. I tried it with both records of Star Trek The Motion Picture soundtrack released last year by La La Land Records,both records are pressed by RTI on blue marble-like vinyl and have always been noisy as hell.
    I dropped some fluid on different parts of a side LP, then moved the bush on the groove's direction, both forward and backward, gave it around 3 rounds on each direction.
    Then with the record side still wet I did the same with a Scotchguard microfibre cloth which I've been using to dry clean my records for over a year with great results (no dirt or dust, no static) to dry the record side. I then let the record side dry for around 5 minutes. I repeated the same on each side of the two records.
    The result is increased noise and some pops that were not there before. What am I doing wrong?
    Or is it that MoFi cleaning products are garbage?
     
  2. quicksilverbudie

    quicksilverbudie quicksilverbudie

    Location:
    Ontario
    I am sure the MoFi is ok.
    But...
    Don't like to say this
    , you NEED to vacumn any fluid off of the vinyl surface. Also you need to rinse any cleaner off of your vinyl. Took me years to realise this. Now I have a 4 step process, takes 8 mins per side for me to clean a record now.
    1 Homebrew 75/25 ratio
    2 Disc Doctor
    3 Rinse (distilled water)
    4 Rinse again! (distilled water)

    Go on YOUTUBE and look up Mr. Walker of Walker Turntables. That's what made me go with a second rinse. I won't go back to just 1. :agree:


    sean
     
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  3. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Some of their cleaning products are garbage, IMHO, but that's not the issue here.

    The issue is that fluid was probably designed to be used with an RCM, and needs a distilled water rinse step to remove all cleaning fluid from the record.

    Not a fan of microfiber cloths as they pick up a lot of dirt from dirty records and shed fibers which get in the grooves and end up on your stylus, IME. Throw them in the trash, or only use them for dusting your equipment rack and record boxes, etc.

    My 2 cents...
     
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  4. George Blair

    George Blair Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    First you're applying fluid to the surface, lifting dirt out of the grooves. Dirt is suspended in the liquid cleaner, then you're pushing it back into the grooves with the cloth. Better to let it dry - then brush or wipe away whatever the cleaner lifted up from the grooves. Or better yet, rinse with water.
     
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  5. Radio

    Radio Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    I have had excellent results using the same MoFi brush and solution. My method is time consuming and requires two other products but I think it is worth the effort.

    1. Soak the MoFi brush in distilled water so it is sopping wet
    2. Apply cleaning solution directly to the record; should form a small pond from inner to outer edge
    3 Place the brush gently on the record where the solution is and rotate the record while holding the brush in place. I do about 5 rotations in each direction and then 3 and finally 1 more rotation in each direction. This may vary depending on how dirty the record is.
    4 The Record should be very wet now. To dry without a vacuum use a vintage Discwasher brush (or the closest equivalent you can find) to remove the cleaning solution and suspended debris by rotating the record while rocking the brush from its middle to back. At first just one rotation because it is so wet. Wipe the Discwasher brush on a clean t-shirt to remove the solution and debris.
    5 Repeat this process until the record is dry. You don’t have to work continuously as it will start to evaporate but the objective is to use the Discwasher brush to do what a vacuum does: remove debris and solution and not push it back in the grooves.

    For me the whole process takes about 20 minutes a side, or about as long as it takes to play one side of an LP. Most of the time is on the drying process.

    The idea is to flood the groves to release and suspend the debris in the cleaning solution and then remove the debris-filled solution without pushing it back in the grooves or just letting it dry in place.

    Good luck.
     
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  6. Tartifless

    Tartifless Forum Resident

    Location:
    France
    I have a 3 brushes system: 2 mofi and another one.

    I place the record on a classic cotton kitchen towel, then I wet the other brushes with mofi solution, spin the brush over the record in round circles (4 to 5 circles).
    I turn the record and do the same on side 2.
    Then I turn the record and use one mofi brush to remove the solution, same on the other side of the lp.
    Then I use the second brush (this one stays dry) to finish on both sides.

    Never had a single scratch/pop issue.

    The important part is to ensure the brushes are completely dust free.
     
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  7. Kiko1974

    Kiko1974 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Thank you all for your input.
    I've played the two record today and they played fine, much much less noise and no pops,better than new, I think the problem with these record is the vinyl formulation used on them (they are made of blue marble-like vinyl) that creates plenty of static.
    I think the problem may have been either they were not 100% wet, 'though they look like dry, or I created some static by drying them.
    The microfibre cloth I use are made of Scotchguard (as the word implies, a microfibre devoloped by Scotch) and they are great, they don't leave a single trace of cloth after cleaning the record and it leaves them dust free. The problem? The are expensive, they cost 25 € a piece and no Spanish is spending such amount of money on a piece of cloth, that's why they were on sale for 5€ a piece. I took all the 5 units left.
    The One Record Cleaning Fluid from MoFi is not for use on vacuum cleaners, is a one step only cleaning solution intended for use with their MoFi brush or others, no rising.
    I think what I did wrong is not letting them get dry enough, that's why the popped and cackred, now they sound great. I've been suggested by a friend to spread the cleaning solution with the brush and let it stay for 2 or 3 minutes to disolve dirt and grime, before the solution gets dry, and then after 2 or 3 minutes, do the passes with the brush with applying much force or dirt will get deeper in the grooves, and then dry it with the microfibre cloth I have or even better, buy another MoFi brush to dry the record side and always keep it that way, one brush for wet and only wet, another one to dry and only dry, not to mix them.
    I think I'm ordering a second MoFi brush before I clean my Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi records (US original pressings bought 12 years ago factory sealed and still in mint condition).
     
  8. bubba-ho-tep

    bubba-ho-tep Resident Ne'er-Do-Well

    Location:
    San Tan Valley, AZ
    I have a question:

    I’m applying Mofi Super Deep cleaner to my Mofi brush per the instructions. How much cleaner to I put on the brush? I try soaking the brush but it doesn’t get transferred to the record unless I press down really hard. Even then, it doesn’t coat the LP like it should. What am I doing wrong?

    I’m using it with a VPI 16.5 RCM.
     
  9. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    Everything is wrong with this product. There is no way to clean the record the right way using this product. Abandon this procedure.. that's the first step in the right direction. What happens folks when a dusty counter gets wiped with a wet brush? The dust smears and a nasty film would remain on the surface. The same happens in a record groove. When a solution dissolves and suspends particles, the solution becomes the equivalent of hard tap water. We all have seen the crusty, abrasive mineral deposits from hard water. The same occurs as dust dissolves in solution, then "wiped off" Any remnant will leave a similar concrete-like deposit which in a record groove will be tracked by the stylus. The reault will be increased ticks, increased crackle. Before the wet clean, at least dry, loose dust in the groove could be "kicked aside" by the stylus. A hard, crusty deposit can not be "kicked aside" ALL of it will be ground in and abrade the groove wall.

    Has this scared anyone? it should!

    Here is my recommendation:
    1) New records: use a can of compressed air ("Dust it") to remove any loose surface dust.
    2) New records that make noise: clean on a record cleaning machine or Spin Clean, air dry.. beware of drying with a towel except that it is non-shedding
    3) Used records almost always make some noise: clean on an RCM as desired
    4) Do not pre-clean before play using a brush. This causes static buildup and introduces cross-contamination (even friction from a carbon brush causes static) A clean record from a clean audiophile sleeve is ready to play.

    There is such a thing as over-caring for a record. This usually causes more noise and reduces fidelity.

    Remove clean record from new audiophile sleeve/ Play Record/ Return record to sleeve..... simple as that, no rocket science, no snake oil products.
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2018
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