How To Clean Records Properly! My Best Method.

[@TorontoJon]

A buddy of mine managed to find and buy a used working VPI record cleaning machine at a local thrift store (Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Value Village) for under $50 which was the deal of the century compared to actual retail prices for those machines. :)

[@MichaelYates]

Interesting results, especially with the vacume cleaner and as you say makes sence getting the dirt and fluid off and record dry

[@zulumax1]

Nice production, well done! Lots of good advice here. I have a Spin Clean, it does a good basic job, but nothing beats ultrasonic and a good vacuum. I take my special records over to my friends, as he has a machine that does everything, including ultrasonic and vacuum in one machine.

[@ganonkenobi]

I use a similar process, a vinyl stack vinyl attachment and a record doctor to dry. I am looking into getting a pro-ject cleaner for a less manual dry method.

[@bk6678]

No fabric softener in the washing machine when washing the microfiber clothes. Air dry them, don’t put in a clothes dryer with dryer sheets.

[@MODAC]

Agreed...no dryer sheets. I still use the dryer though.

[@renebollengier1111]

After watching this I think I clean mine with a wire brush! Thanks for the video

[@MODAC]

Good luck

[@geoffreybritain8878]

Thank you for sharing the procedure you use. I especially liked the Windex/Vinegar solution for removing grease/fingerprints and your final method for placing the record with but outside the album sleeve. As well as a bit easier it should greatly preserve the album sleeve.

[@kevinhigham9125]

Might be better to use all plastic inner sleeves, the paper sleeve you’re putting the record into is up against the paper sleeve of the record. Over time it may cause wear? It kind of defeats the purpose of putting the record into a plastic outer sleeve. Am I being too picky?

[@geoffreydebrito7934]

@@kevinhigham9125 Hi, I don't think you're being too picky but I do think you may have missed the two-ply construction of the new record sleeve into which he puts the cleaned record. Watch closely that part again to see that it's plastic on the inside and bonded to an outer layer of paper (for ease of handling) So the cleaned record is no longer touching any paper at all.

[@matthewtaylor7355]

Like the way u don't fixate on flavour of the month ultrasonic.. Unlike all the other UTUBE fashionistas..

[@robertgreene1946]

When you do the cleaning on the VPI you use some distilled water on your LPS before vacuuming them. I bet the cleaning will be better

[@AeroModule]

the Spin Clean is good, but gotta be careful with RTI pressings - I get brush marks if I'm not extremely careful inserting and removing the record. I lower the record with the brushes together, and I still sometimes get faint marks. Not audible luckily.

[@peterlundskow4061]

I have a spin clean as well, unfortunately I can't justify spending close to $1,800 to purchase the other two devices. The person below sure got a wonderful deal on the vacuum. Would you be interested in doing a video comparing which device on it's own the ultrasonic or the vacuum does the best job of cleaning & clarity concerning surface noise?

[@Rigs275]

Something you need to add is get a paper record sleeve cut it into a circle the size of a record and put it over the cork to keep it clean so when you flip it to clean the other side take the paper off.

[@nicholas6823]

I have a vpi 16.5 that I use with the disc doctor cleaner. It does a pretty good job. I do wonder how much more clean an ultrasonic machine could get the records and any further reduction in surface noise. I wonder if you would get better results if you cleaned one or two records instead of more. A fan might work to dry the records too. I am surprised that they need to be vacuumed after the ultrasonic cleaning.

[@MODAC]

I get the best results vacuuming last.

[@ptbfrch]

Great video. Just make sure that your sleeves are not made of PVC - that will eventually destroy your records.When you say Poly sleeves, that could mean polyvinyl chloride, which is what your record is made of, and there will be chemical transfer. Those are the records that will begin to look gray when the deterioration begins.

[@rabarebra]

Would you question this man's knowledge? Why would he ever use PVC outer and inner? If you are trained, you can easily see that these are not that. Look in the video's descriptions.

[@dans5595]

i have one of the chinese 5 record rotisserie + generic ultrasonic bath units. i have settled on a 2 step process. step one: sonicate 30 - 50 records with distilled water + 20 drops tergitol. then do it again with plain distilled water. they come out perfect. prior to this i was a 2 step spin clean guy with vacuum at the end. the system i'm using now is far superior to that.

[@peterrech2307]

While an ultrasonic does clean better than a vac unit, the vac dries the record and cleans off any debris in the grooves. I do pretty much the same methodology as you do except I use two VinylStyl unit (one for cleaning and one for rinse) which i have motorised. I use a three frequency US unit (40/80/120khz), 5 minutes at each frequency. I also use a ProJect based Vac unit modified wit two vac units so it can vac record on both sides at same time. The results re brilliant. One word of warning with the SpinClean: clean the pads regularly during a session (especially if cleaning used records) because grit can get embedded in the pads and damage records. Enjoy the music.

[@MODAC]

You are next level! Thanks

[@jfs70ss]

Get a vacuum to clean off the brush every time before you use it... That's what I do.

[@myk1200s]

So Dave honestly was it worth it to buy a $900 machine then ❓I mean what did they do back in the 40s..50s..60s..etc.. 🤷

[@MODAC]

Dirty records.

[@grahamlaunder5507]

A very interesting video, thanks Dave! Interesting to see you use vinegar to start with to remove fingerprints! Please help me with what you put in your ultrasonic cleaner as a cleaning agent. Looking forward to hearing from you. Kindest regards Graham Launder

[@MODAC]

It’s a solution that came with the iSonic.

[@grahamlaunder5507]

@@MODAC Thanks Dave,could l ask you the name of the cleaning agent, thanks very much,Graham.

[@dexon555]

d u d e . . .

[@danmartinez5502]

No way use Dawn and goat hair brush . Never used ammonia (Windex)

[@MODAC]

Vinegar windex

[@robertgreene1946]

Husker du kickass

[@jumpsuite]

I've done this it's a laborer of love that's why I made some light out of it it's work and stepped back from records for that reason it's the materials the disc is made of are not the best either.but the love will claim many in it's quest for it's laborer of love from the disc..peace....

[@joelane7146]

I love my records, I have the spin clean, works good enough for me. 99% of my records I bought used. I like to make tapes on my reel to reel tape decks. But I could never be that picky.

[@rabarebra]

@9:20 What is that rack brand? Where do you get it? I can't find anything in the stores or in my home to put the records on for drying like that.

[@MODAC]

Here's a link: amzn.to/3tfyJxO

[@jumpsuite]

Get out the pressure washer blast the disc Sand all groves off record Put in a stone polisher Blow clean with 120 p.s.i Buff clean with steal whool The put it on the victrola and get ready to listen to those smooth sound of the needle craving its own track as the noise playing that song once new to find out your finger prints go deeper than you thought.but now it's clean right. On the side of this the record must remain as stairel as possible for best sound I've done it static is your death to sound smoke is to and air dust and finger oils.when you do this it's love it or hate it you choose

[@rabarebra]

Remember your pill today, ok?

[@matthewtaylor7355]

Ur process is to restrained... What is the point unless u use a blow torch

[@jonboy9912]

Wash them in soapy water, pat them dry and with the same paper towel you used to wash them spread a little WD40 and polish with a soft lint free cloth and you will have immaculate static free vinyl. I have been doing this for years, have in excess of 750 albums all of which play as well today as when I bought them. You pay enough for equipment don't get suckered into buying these ridiculously expensive tin boxes to clean your records.

[@sexytasmin]

Thanks Dave for the interesting video. I’m the first person to comment.