Record cleaning regime can I do better ?

Record care regime

What i do….can it be improved ? have i missed a trick somewhere ? or am i doing this ok ?

All records get a wash using Knosti Disco Anti-Stat with their own brand cleaning fluid, I do 10 rotations each way…. I then spin them again in a 2nd Knosti bath filled with de-ionised water (4 rotations each way) and leave to air dry (often overnight) in the rack that Knosti provide.

Then they get a new anti-static inner either Nagaoka 102 or Spincare Hikari 12" Anti Static Inner Vinyl LP Record Sleeves.

I intend to do this “wash clean” once a year …having now cleaned my smallish collection of some 300 LPs plus cleaning any new or new to me discs I acquire as I go along, prior to playing.

For the Stylus Prior to each session I use (a newly acquired) Flux hifi electronic stylus cleaner along with its supplied liquid for the pad.

After each record has been played I dip the stylus into Vinyl Passion DustBuster gel.

Prior to playing each side I use a carbon anti-static brush upon the record.

I’m also considering getting some Big Fudge Vinyl Record Outer Sleeves 12" LP, crystal clear & made from High-Density Polypropylene, 3 mil Thick, 12.75” x 12.75”

I have seen somewhere on you tube about taking the records out of gatefold covers so the vinyl doesn’t warp in them near the fold and basically putting them inside the album cover rather than inside the slot they usually reside in and then the new outer sleeves around all of that …thoughts ?

I use NEO-100LP Aluminium Storage DJ Cases to keep my albums in, but other suggestions are welcome..the house has coal fires plus a cat so not sure about on shelves although i'd like to have some displayed

For info my kit is Atmo Sfera TT with Ortofon Quintet Black S cartridge, Chord Clearway cable to Pathos in the Groove phono, MCRU Pure Silver semi balanced XLR cables to Minute EL34 integrated amp, Tellurium Q Ultra Black II speaker cables to Klipsch Quartets, whilst Tannoy Berkeleys are being worked upon.

If i have posted this in the wrong place kindly move for me Mods ..

 

Use the Knosti as a pre wash + buy a project RCM £300
Records sound better , reduces record wear , reduce static , extends stylus life RCM is a nobrainer

nb ortofon DO not recommend wet cleaning of a stylus , remove dirt at source with a RCM
Stylus care
Ortofon does not recommend the use of solvents of any kind for cleaning of either the record surface or stylus. . Remove dust carefully from record surfaces by using a fine antistatic brush or cloth before every use.The use of solvents on the stylus and cantilever may damage stylus cement; interior parts of the cartridge can be affected seriously by the intrusion of solvents. The Ortofon Aftersales will not be valid in cases where such treatment has caused malfunction.
For cleaning the stylus, use the enclosed fibre brush a few times along the cantilever in the direction of the stylus, whenever you play a new record or change sides.
Record care should also be performed regularly and is of paramount importance to prolong the life and condition of the stylus. Because of this, a record cleaning machine may be considered for ease and quality of record cleaning.

 

when I got up to 500 records I couldn't ignore RCMs anymore.
A buck a record...

 

That's about where I was except I took an initial step at about 200 records with a Record Doctor. At about 500, I got an Okki Nokki. I haven't really felt the urge to upgrade it. I've looked at UltraSonic, except it's too expensive unless you go DIY which are said to be extremely noisy. I selected the Okki Nokki because was a quieter model.

 

I have a DYI UltraSonic as well for those tough LPs.
I create a pile and do them on holidays and at bar mitzvahs

 

I have an antistatic brush and discwasher years ago then I set up a Rube Goldberg deal.

1. a cast off school record player for it's motorized platter.
2. a canister vacuum cleaner with a plastic flat crevice wand tool on the hose end. I cut an 8 inch slit on the flat edge of the tool with pieces of velvet material velcroed on each side of the slit.
A yogurt tub lid with a hole cut out to cover an lp's label
3. A $30 handheld steam cleaner from Walgreen's
4. Some muslin cloths for drying and soft cloth for work surface.
5. A plastic dish drainer for stacking albums in to completely

Place the lp on platter set to slowest speed and steam clean lp followed by holding vacuum hose on lp surface to remove moisture then drying with muslin or soft cloth.

It worked great !
I could do about 10 12 albums at a time.

Then I bought a spin clean record machine

 

Are you actually intending to wash all your LPs once a year?

 

Make sure you remove static, as well.

 

It will be less than a buck a record as you move ahead. NO BRAINER!

 

If you have friends into records share the costs of a RCM

 

Vacuuming is definitely key. I use a Vinyl Vac. It looks like Lurgan Lad made his own version (nice!).

I also recommend gently cleaning the outside of your album covers (especially if they're musty) and blowing out any dust/debris that may be inside.

If an album gets any dust on it while it's out, I go over it with one of those washable silicone rollers.

If you take proper care of your albums and stylus, I don't see the need to clean them annually.

As far as the stylus goes, I wouldn't recommend cleaning it after each use. You run the risk of damaging the stylus and/or cantilever.

Collecting vinyl is definitely a labor of love.

 

Thanks for your response ....

RCM yes it is something i'm very much weighing up ...it then means which one is the best bang for the pound and around £300 ish pounds could work ...i have then to think about where to keep it....does one use the RCM every playing session or only periodically ? this might answer about where to keep it versus space considerations

I've read that Ortofon don't recommend using solvents ...but others have said not an issue, as its literally 1 drop onto the pad that the Flux has and as such isn't put over the stylus ..although i have read that others use the Flux and its forerunners dry ..so that's certainly an option ...and the Flux has definitely made a positive difference

Sadly I don't have a stylus brush as the Stylus came with the TT bought 2nd hand ...with the stylus having less than 50 hrs on it ...in fact it was from worrying about my shaky hands that i went for the flux over a manual brush as with the flux i can simply move the cartridge over the pad and then let the lowering lever do its work ..

I'm very open to more thoughts so please all keep the comments coming

 

Thanks for your reply ......Yes planning a yearly run through or should i be doing it more often ?

 

Thanks for your reply

Static seems to be virtually gone with my routine of Disco clean plus Carbon brush prior to playing each side ...but "dirt and the odd bit of fluff" on the stylus is an ongoing issue and its that which i'm battling against mainly i think ...

 

Many thanks for taking the time to reply ......So does that mean you gave up on the DIY motorised cleaner to go for the US equivalent to my Disco Anti-Stat ?

 

The spin clean record machine takes less space time and work.

The steam cleaning method worked very well
Especially on any rare used records I picked up.
I upgraded a lot of the sleeves too

 

Thanks for your reply ...

I tend to keep all my albums in closed cases unless playing and have just started to buy some Outer covers to keep dust out as much as i can ...having said that i hadn't thought of vacuming / cleaning them prior to putting the new outer covers on .... i've gone for these (Big Fudge Vinyl Record Outer Sleeves 12" LP | Durable & Wrinkle-Free | Crystal Clear & Made from High-Density Polypropylene | 3 mil Thick, 12.75" ) and ( Spincare 12 Inch Outer Vinyl Record Sleeves | DENSITY Covers Fit Single Double Triple Gatefold LP Albums | Premium Quality Polythene Sleeves | UV Resistant ) in a 50 packs to see how they look and work first

Thanks for saying "washing" doesn't need to be yearly ...i must say doing it just the once has made some records i have, admitedly mainly those i inherited from my parents of 1950s & 60's classical, plus a few of my 1970s Bowie & Yes albums (which took a hammering back in the day) and opera totaly playable whereas before they were so noisy i couldn't listen to them, so i had thought a yearly run through the Knosti Disco Anti-Stat would of been a good 'maintenance' idea ...perhaps not after your comment

And your suggesting not cleaning the stylus so much .... i can see reducing the use of the flux to perhaps every few sessions ...(i get to play Records perhaps 2 or 3 times a week and each time often only 2 or 3 albums but many of those are double or 45rpm so thats probably a max of 10 sides a session)

My use of the Vinyl Passion dustbuster though is once per record unless i see fluff hanging after only side at the moment

Labour of Love .....yes now i'm able to enjoy it more its as much a labour of love as its been keeping my teenage collection of around 50 records ,together over the years though various relationships and the 20 or so places i've lived over the intervening 40 odd years since i got my first album the Beatles Red Album in April 1973 ... and just in case anyone is wondering i got that one myself with birthday money and the matching Blue album for an Xmas present from my old Pops ... my first single was Without you Harry Nilsson in 72 and i still have that ...although i think it was the B side "Gotta get up" that i played most back then.... sorry i seem to be rambling on ....

 

You should be doing it less often. Once is enough. I would only re-clean the record if it becomes dirty enough to have to clean, which, with proper care, should not happen. Once you've cleaned your record and are satisfied with that cleaning, at most, it should only need a light brushing with a carbon fibre brush to remove any loose dust.

 

Agree on vacuum drying instead of air drying; and really no reason to clean your records more than once (ever) if you are protecting them with good inner sleeves and not leaving them out for extended periods of time.

 

Some people recommend cleaning records before playing them. If I see dust or dirt on a record that I already cleaned I will give it another cleaning.

 

My advice is : wash them once (only if they're pre-owned or dirty) and fuggedaboutit.

 

This review of the Disco unit Disco-Antistat Vinyl Cleaning Machine From Knosti - The Audiophile Man , states the same problem with gunk on the stylus and attributes it to the supplied cleaning agent. The reviewer does go on to offer some suggested alternative cleaning agents. Also, you can use the ILFORD ILFOTOL that can be purchased in the UK. If using ILFORD ILFOTOL, you can double the recommended concentration from 1part cleaner:200parts water to 1part cleaner:100 parts water to get improved detergency. The recommended 1:200 is good as a 'wetting' agent; but its a bit 'light' as a detergent. Just make sure to rinse after use as you currently do.

 

I expect your records are a lot cleaner than mine at this stage (microfibre cloth/Thakker stylus brush/Goldring electronic stylus cleaner every 10-20 albums).
Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t forget to enjoy the music!

 

I think your method is pretty good. Replacing the knosti with a vacuum machine is a great upgrade, but you're doing pretty well.

I only agree to change the wet stylus cleaning with a dry one. Brush and / or gel pad.

The final results are audible, I'm sure you're having good results and that's the final truth. You can't do it wrong and have good results.

 

Anyone has experience with enzyme based cleaning agents? I've got a record that I would love to try it out on...any drawbacks?