LP Cleaning Techniques(Without Machine)

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by reidc, Feb 6, 2002.

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  1. reidc

    reidc Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fitchburg, Mass
    Ok Guys n' Gals,
    I have seen much discussion lately on cleaning LP's with what kind of machine, and what power cleaner to use with it. However, I am sure there are more than a few of us out there without the $300- $400+++ for a VPI Machine or the like.

    Seeing as though I haven't touched much of my vinyl in years, and I have needed a Bang & Olufson Cartridge(MMC Series), I want to start getting back "to the roots".

    The last cleaner that I used, was something called "Reveal", and the last I saw it anywhere was 15- 16 years ago! I used to clean them with the soft cheesecloth type of fabric Reveal came with, while having the LP laying flat on the rice paper LP sleeve.

    What are some of your proven techniques for "manual" cleaning, and products used? Do they get rid of the dreaded ticks n' pops?

    Thanks,
    Chris
     
  2. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    Hi Chris,

    There are a few tools I can recommend that are manual and not terribly expensive.

    The first is the Orbitrac 2 system, which you can get for between $30 and $40. I have it, and it works remarkably well. You can read a very thorough description and product review of it here:

    http://www.soundstage.com/upton05.htm

    If you can spend a little more, I would definitely get the Disc Doctor brushes and cleaning fluid (http://www.discdoc.com). It may cost you more like $60, but it works that much better -- if not more -- than the Orbitrac (which is already quite good). I use the Disc Doctor products in tandem with a machine, but you don't need to, and in fact Disc Doctor's recommended method doesn't incorporate a machine at all. I just find that a machine can speed up the process a bit.

    The Orbitrac is quicker and cheaper, and yields good results -- fewer ticks and pops, and even a clearer sound (see the review). The Disc Doctor products are more expensive and more of a project to use, but in my opinion yield even better results than the Orbitrac or machines do alone. Record surfaces look AND sound as clean as they can, and surface noise and ticks and pops are reduced markedly.

    There are other products in this price range, but these are the two I would recommend personally.
     
  3. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    Does anyone still have my method of cleaning vinyl at the sink? I know it sounds weird, but it STILL works fabulously. I'd write it up again, but I haven't had my coffee yet.
     
    drew phillips likes this.
  4. reidc

    reidc Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fitchburg, Mass
    Gee Sckott,
    10:30 AM, your checking the forums but NOT having had coffee yet! Must be nice to roll outa bed so early! My priorities were ALWAYS coffee first.

    I'd love to see your sink method BTW. Hopefully its just a cut and paste.


     
  5. reidc

    reidc Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fitchburg, Mass
    Thanks Jeff,
    I can justify the $60 for something that is effective. I just didn't want to throw the money away on something.

    I will take a peek at both sites mentioned. I really want to start listening to some of this stuff again, as its been many a year. The ease of CD just seemed to take over, even though some of my lp's would sound better than my cd's.

    Chris
     
  6. Dave B

    Dave B Senior Member

    Location:
    Nokomis, FL
    Chris, There is a product called the Spin-Clean that was discussed on the old DCC forum. I have never used it but as I recall others had good results with it. You can see a picture or purchase at Garage 'A Records. Here's a link http://www.garage-a-records.com/spin.html
     
  7. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    Here's what I do when I get a nice "clean" used record that's a noisy bastard (no laughing!) You may follow at your daring, caring discression:

    1. Clear and clean your sink out, and make sure nothing is interfearing with your space. No dishes, no pans, clean it. Your wife will love you.

    2. Turn the foucet on, warm, but not hot (let the water run for a while and make sure no one's gonna flush, okay?).

    3. Lay a terrycloth down, must be clean, and quickly cover it with paper towels, not the cheap stuff, enough so that the LP can sit flat on the counter, clean, edge-to-edge.

    4. That's right. Soak it. Put it under the water at an angle so the water runs on the deadwax, and off the edge. Rotate the album while maintaining a slow speed until you've gone around one side. DO NOT get the label wet. If you want, you can run the water a low-flow, so you can control water droplets and how it runs more efficiantly off the record. If the vinyl is smooth and not worn, the water may have no luck sticking to the surface anyway. Don't freak if water is sticking to the record.

    5. Do the other side too. Just be careful of the faucet and getting the label wet (unless the label isn't pourus paper, in which most smooth pressings you can soak completely).

    6. Drop it on top the cloths nearby, with a gentle drop. Grab some more paper towels and toss one, maybe two on it, to cover the partially wet record. Real careful now: You're gonna pat the record dry without making any "anti-groovy" action. Don't scuff the LP by using pressure, or by wiping in ANY direction. PAT dry. Gently spread and lift the paper towel until the record is *almost* completely dry. Take the paper towel off, then on...etc..

    You can also get picky and use a 'sliver' of paper towel to drag (using gravity only) to dry off the runoff groove area. This keeps the shiny, new appearence of the record clean. Not like you care much the the non-musical portion of the wax, it beats looking at the LP and seeing water spots.

    7. Flip the record and pat that side too. No wiping motions, just pat and lift the paper until the record dries. The warm water will evaporate as it cools off.

    8. Bring it over to the turntable and if it's still a touch wet, go over it GENTLY with a D4 brush - GENTLY so the felt absorbes the wetness a bit. Even if the record is still just a *TAD* wet...you...

    9. Play. Quieter, huh?!?

    This should give you an idea of how good wet/dry methods work. Try this only when you don't have a real wet cleaner, and you've bought this $3.99 used LP that looks mint, but sounds like ****. It's usually mould or residue, and this has gotten $2 LPs to sound like $20 - Really!! Hey, you bought the record, what's the sense if it sounds bad?

    **Note** Use good aper towels, try to stay away from store bought to keep the lint down.....also you're gonna find that most used records that LOOK GREAT but play crappy will benefit from this meathod everytime. I've only done it once to records that misbehave. If you play your details right, barely anyone will see that Discwasher residue, or brush friction on the album, including you!
     
  8. reidc

    reidc Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fitchburg, Mass
    Ok Sckott-
    Now I understand why you needed coffee before posting that!

    I have a couple of things that will never see the light of CD day. Believe it or not I want to clean up an older Blood, Sweat, & Tears album, and a Deodato lp so I can put them to CD.

    Both look great, but play like $%^&. Ticks and pops galore, and can't seem to get anything quiet on them

    I have checked out some web sites this afternoon - someplace Jeff Mentioned about the Alsop review, and Disc Doctor prodcts, and then looked at something from another thread- Needledoctor.com? I think.

    From what I've read- I really shouldn't be afraid to try many cleaning methods with many different products. Different cleaners even if using the Alsop Orbitrac hardware, and maybe even different brushes- right down to Sckotts "secret sink method"

    I mean if they aren't prize possessions- go for it!
     
  9. Holy Zoo

    Holy Zoo Gort (Retired) :-)

    Location:
    Santa Cruz
    Hey reidc,

    I'm moving this to the Hardware area, since that's where the other record cleaning threads are. Might as well keep them all together! :)
     
  10. Dan

    Dan Senior Member

    Location:
    WNY
    I just bought a Simon & Garfunkle "Bridge" Columbia 2-Eye that visually looks like a "9" but has too many crackles in the quiet passages for my liking. Might be time for an experiment with Sckott's technique!

    I'm a bit worried about hard water though.
    :rolleyes:
     
  11. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    My water isn't the softest either. It should still work. Let me know!
     
  12. Dan

    Dan Senior Member

    Location:
    WNY
    I tried it before I went to work today, and I think it worked fairly well. It certainly didn't hurt it any. Next time I need to make a before and after recording.

    The record in question had one or two decent sized fingerprints that even the cleaner wouldn't remove. I'd say the water removed 80-90% of those!

    My next attempt will be a copy of "An Evening With Wild Man Fischer". That was in good shape when I bought it last Summer except for that it smelled heavily of mold. It's a little noisy mostly because it's spoken word.
     
  13. Beagle

    Beagle Senior Member

    Location:
    Ottawa
    Sckott: Thanks much for taking the time to post that. Very detailed and concise. I'll give it a whirl. If I can ever get the family out of the kitchen...
     
  14. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    Luckilly, I was able to cut and paste from the prev. forum build. Zoo takes crrrredit for that. ;D
     
  15. Andy

    Andy New Member

    Anyone ever tied LAST power cleaner with the old discwasher brush?
     
  16. record cleaning with soap

    I use a diswashing degreaser and soft sponge, towel on the counter and one in my hand and wipe very very gently in a circular motion. The trick to this one is to sufficiently rinse until the water runs from the grooves without assistance. If the water "hangs" in the grooves, you're still sludgey.
     
  17. Highway Star

    Highway Star New Member

    Location:
    eastern us
    I just did the Sckott method on 2 Duane Eddy albums and it made a very noticable difference. I'm Twangin' again.
     
  18. RetroSmith

    RetroSmith Forum Hall Of Fame<br>(Formerly Mikey5967)

    Location:
    East Coast
    Cleaning

    I use a home brew solution that works great!!

    I have found that most of the different home brew cleaners work fine, it matters much more HOW you clean and how you rinse than anything else.

    I've got my LP cleaning routine down pat. Works great.

    When you rinse with distilled water, you need to have a "rinse brush" and scrub the record AGAIN with the water only. This really makes a difference in the cleaning.

    I recently deep cleaned a Bread Quad LP that i thought was beat.
    It sounds pretty good now!!
     
  19. reidc

    reidc Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Fitchburg, Mass
    I tried a combination of things last night on a record that was mint not too long ago(weren't they all!!!).

    I've been a Blood, Sweat, and Tears fan for many a year(can you say over 30), and I would love to see their more obscure stuff come out like their almost comeback LP New City from 1975. I found someone on the net who has/remasters quads to archive, and wrote him to see if I might "try" a version- but haven't heard back yet.

    My LP has only seen a few plays in 15 years, but hasn't handled the years well. I first layed out a towel flat for the LP, and mixed some "JOY" and warm water. Used an old soft felt brush from my long-used up Reveal cleaner, and brushed the solution around the disc- finally rinsing with normal tap water.

    I did not dry the disc completely, and gave it an immediate play. While there are still SOME cliqs and pops- I believe I have a 66% improvement in backgroud noise. The worst part being the first song on side 2- where it appears I have an edge warp. I have the dreaded thump- thump over the first 45 seconds of quiet passage.

    Successive plays sound good, and recorded to cassette. It sounded reasonably good. I will try to record it into my PC and try cleaning it up using Spin Doctor from Adaptec.

    I should probably use the distilled water rinse on my next candidate!






    Thanks All For Help!
     
  20. RetroSmith

    RetroSmith Forum Hall Of Fame<br>(Formerly Mikey5967)

    Location:
    East Coast
    water

    Yes, guy, Distilled water during the rinse is VERY imortant.

    Also, dont just "rinse". Spray the distilled water on the record and SCRUB with a record brush reserved just for this purpose.

    You will hear the difference.
     
  21. Humorem

    Humorem New Member

    Location:
    LOS ANGELES
    I've cleaned over 10,000 records over the last 15 years, and the Disc Doctor fluid is one of the most amazing products in the history of audio IMO.

    I guarantee 100% satisfaction or your money back.

    The difference between it and anything else can be summed up in three words:

    Night and Day.

    If you haven't used it, get some, as fast as you can. Buy it wherever you can. I have never spoken to anyone who has tried it who didn't consider it the best by a mile.
     
  22. RetroSmith

    RetroSmith Forum Hall Of Fame<br>(Formerly Mikey5967)

    Location:
    East Coast
    Disc Doctor

    Tom, I read an article on the net that compared the Disc Doctor fluid to a homebrew fluid and the results were identical.

    The key seemed to be the use of a bit of Lysol direct in the homebrew cleaner. Apparantly it contains the same chemical as in the DD fluid.
     
  23. Humorem

    Humorem New Member

    Location:
    LOS ANGELES
    That may be true. Who can say that it isn't? Find out that homebrew formula and see for yourself. I find it very hard to believe, and I would bet a lot of money against it. But find out and let us know!
     
  24. RetroSmith

    RetroSmith Forum Hall Of Fame<br>(Formerly Mikey5967)

    Location:
    East Coast
    Homebrew

    I really dont think there is any "magic" ingredient in the Disk Doctor fluid. Many people have done A/B tests and reported near identical results.

    Heres the hombrew formula:

    99 % Isopro Alcohol One part
    Distilled water Two parts
    1/10 th Lysol Direct
    5 drops Kodak Photoflow


    This is what I use, and it works wonderfully. Of course, I'm a "homebrew" kind of guy in the first place.

    The trick is in the rinsing. You have to scrub the record with the distilled water, and not just "rinse". I have a brush just for rinsing. This really makes a difference in the sound.

    Also, I have noticed that after all the cleaning/rinsing is done, if you play the record Once, it seems to clean it more. The SECOND play is usually quieter than that first play.

    So if youre taping, tape the second play (or third) for best results.
     
    muskrat likes this.
  25. Humorem

    Humorem New Member

    Location:
    LOS ANGELES
    I'm going to have to try it!
     
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