Record cleaning - what's your method?

hahahaha_totally said:
What is the advantage of using a UV lamp to inspect a record instead of normal light? I thought UV and vinyl were enemies.
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Allows you to see the FOD not visible with normal lighting.
Looking at my hands, not sure I would eat with them any longer 😁.

In the pic above, you can see almost no white specs. The one spec shown was on surface only.
That's a 1971 BBK. It's pretty dang clean as you can see.

I can't see any harm shining it for a few 10 seconds.
Hours... might be a problem.

I just wanted to see the visible results with various cleaning process stages.
Mainly the older, pre-owned vinyl. There was a pop on Tin Pan Alley that was driving me ape shit.
FYI- I am not sure this trick works for some of the brighter colored vinyl out these days.
 
While we tend to focus on the cleaning of the records themselves here I thought I would share some success I had at lunchtime cleaning some sleeves. The sleeves themselves were incredibly grubby as are the records BUT having bought from this seller in the past I knew they tend to clean up very well. As a result, the seller grades them well below what can actually be achieved. The records have some light surface marks but it's mainly just dirt.....and a lot of it. I will run them through the Project VC-S2 and I imagine any issues will be removed.

For the sleeves, I just use a cloth dampened with very hot water. I also have a blunt scalpel that I lightly and very carefully scrape along the surface for very stubborn bits (such as the tape residue). This combo works really well with laminated sleeves and although I have seen people recommend lighter fluid and the like, I personally have never encountered a mark that stubborn.

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Selaws said:
While we tend to focus on the cleaning of the records themselves here I thought I would share some success I had at lunchtime cleaning some sleeves. The sleeves themselves were incredibly grubby as are the records BUT having bought from this seller in the past I knew they tend to clean up very well. As a result, the seller grades them well below what can actually be achieved. The records have some light surface marks but it's mainly just dirt.....and a lot of it. I will run them through the Project VC-S2 and I imagine any issues will be removed.

For the sleeves, I just use a cloth dampened with very hot water. I also have a blunt scalpel that I lightly and very carefully scrape along the surface for very stubborn bits (such as the tape residue). This combo works really well with laminated sleeves and although I have seen people recommend lighter fluid and the like, I personally have never encountered a mark that stubborn.

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This is very impressive. I'm not sure I have the patience for it, but I'm sure I could buff up quite a few of my covers this way.
 
Poly-Rythmo said:
This is very impressive. I'm not sure I have the patience for it, but I'm sure I could buff up quite a few of my covers this way.
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Once you have a method its surprisingly easy. I cleaned those 3 in my lunch break and still had time to eat, so maybe 30mins whilst watching tv.
 
8 bucks a record
www.theingroove.com

Have Your LP Ultrasonically Cleaned Before Shipment

COST OF SERVICE IS PER DISC Multiple LP orders will require multiple cleaning service purchases. (e.g. Double LP records will require TWO cleaning service purchases.) PLEASE NOTATE IN THE NOTES SECTION WHICH LPs ARE SPECIFICALLY TO BE CLEANED if the quantity of cleaning services purchased is...
www.theingroove.com
 
Picked up a sealed copy and was unsure if the haze that was starting to form would disappear after a bath in the US cleaner, happy with the results. Sonically, the 09' KPG pressing is miles ahead. My lamp is from IKEA and shows any imperfection.
IMG_0035 by c c, on Flickr

IMG_0036 by c c, on Flickr
 
notjhill said:
Picked up a sealed copy and was unsure if the haze that was starting to form would disappear after a bath in the US cleaner, happy with the results. Sonically, the 09' KPG pressing is miles ahead. My lamp is from IKEA and shows any imperfection.
IMG_0035 by c c, on Flickr

IMG_0036 by c c, on Flickr
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If you want to see analy the grooves, you need a black light. It shows every crack, pop, gray hair, etc...
 
Ok, the time has come to move on from my Spin Clean and get a more efficient vacuum cleaning system. I just have too many records piling up to clean, and I can’t bring myself to do it. Don’t want to spend a grand - anyone here have and use the Record Doctor units? They seem to get good reviews and cost a lot less than the VPI…
 
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