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How To Clean Records With Water

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  1. I just a cleaned a near mint record I received by using water and a carbon fibre brush. Although, the dust has been completely removed from its surface, I can actually notice a bit of distortion. I tested the record before cleaning it and there was no distortion. Just some infrequent crackling. Did I do something wrong? Is this a proper way to clean a record?

    Sorry if I sound too amateur with handling vinyl records.
    I am actually :p

    Note: The water was cold and I only left a few drops of it on the record. I didn't actually wash it under the sink. Then I put it on the turntable, pressed play and while it was spinning, I gently put the carbon fibre brush on it until the water disappeared.

  2. Distilled water is preferable. Use non static water absorbing fabric to dry off the record. Wait until the record is thoroughly dry before placing it back on the turntable. You should not hear any distortion once the record is completely dry.
  3. That sounds reasonable. Thanks for the tip. Do you think that minor distortion will be a permanent damage on the record or is it reversible if I clean it again?
  4. Distortion can be from physical damage to the groove walls. That can't be cleaned away. If the distortion is because of something (oils, dust, dirt, etc.) adhering to the stylus from its contact with the groove walls, that can usually be cleaned and does not normally cause physical damage.

    Your best bet is the flush the groove areas well with clean water then dry the record. Dry brush the LP before playing, and make sure to gently brush the stylus now & then as well.

  5. The record is second-hand but it's been played 3 to 4 times. When I initially tested it, I could notice minor crackling. Anyway, these are some useful tips. Thanks for the help.
  6. Carbon fiber brushes are not met to "wet clean" records ... they are for "dry clean" only.

    Wet cleaning is fine (and most of the time preferable) but just make sure you use an appropriate brush (can be as a cheap as a new sponge) and let the record dry completely (this can be as simple as putting in a rack overnight or using a lint free cloth)

  7. All things considered, I think your safest bet is imported unicorn tears.

    But seriously, I use a cleaning fluid concentrate made to be mixed with water, but it is wise to use purified or distilled water since there's a lot of grit and mineral sludge (best case scenario) in hard tap water and softened water has added salt.

  8. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Safe?
    As long as the vinyl doesn't get wet.
  9. Water can't damage a record. Soluble salts that are present as impurities will however deposit on the record as the water evaporates. Use distilled + deionised as a minimum. I use lab grade. On a less cautious note, it's also worth remembering that water is very polar and has a very high surface tension, that vinyl is very non-polar and that grooves are very narrow. I often wonder just how much water can actually penetrate into the grooves in the absence of a surfactant or organic solvent. Most of the crud on a s/h record will be of a lower polarity than can be shifted by water anyway (finger grease, cooking deposits, air freshener, cigarette tar etc).
  10. You need to thoroughly rinse a record after cleaning. You can't just spread some water around and let it dry. You are just leaving whatever dirt was on there, on there.

    Doug

  11. I have had the same question. I also use reagent water as a rinse step in vacuum cleaning. The goal is to rinse away/displace any residue from cleaning fluids. When using a wand type machine, I tend to 'flood' the surface, being careful of the label area, for this reason, apply using a pad, rather than a brush, and let the water sit for a minute before vacuuming. I suppose, even if it doesn't really penetrate fully into the groove, the combination of a water rinse/vacuum gives you another shot at removing whatever fluid is left through the vacuum action.
    I tend not to equate 'dry' with removal of fluid residue, which is another way of asking the same question, I guess.

    As to the OP's question, it sounds like he was playing the record 'wet' which makes me wonder what was contributing to the added noise- perhaps minerals in the water, but does that seem likely if the record hadn't dried and the deposits hadn't hardened? I know there used to be a school of 'wet play' to reduce surface noise for the purpose of recording the records. I'm not fully convinced we have an answer to this one.

  12. I use tap water and a dollar-store sponge to clean really dirty LPs, then buff the hell out of 'em with a micro-fiber cloth. Works like a charm.
  13. RE "Is it safe to clean records using water???"

    YES, but only when mixed with my saliva, due to my special diet. I'll be glad to sell you TSA-compliant small vials for a mere $380, far less than many interconnect cables. :whistle:

  14. I have played records right after I cleaned them and I could hear distorted sounds from moisture still trapped in the crevasses of the groove walls. Once they were dry, that distortion went away.
  15. Muzyck

    Muzyck Real inventor of the inverted firkin

    Remember that the purpose of the water is to put any of the debris on the record in suspense to remove it from the grooves when you remove the water. The trick is to get as much of that water (and debris) off of the record before it dries and not to use any water that will have minerals and residue that will remain if left behind. That is the basic function of record cleaning machines with vacuums.
  16. Muzyck

    Muzyck Real inventor of the inverted firkin

    That is technically known as an "enzymatic cleaning solution". :)
  17. It's great to be able to have one of those machines, but most people I know don't have one and/or can't afford one. They have to do the best they can on the cheap.
  18. Muzyck

    Muzyck Real inventor of the inverted firkin

    It is amazing to me how much a simple device like a basic "Nitty-Gritty" costs. It's a box with a slotted hole with a vacuum attached. I have had one for close to 15 years and paid big bucks for a bottom of the line model at the time. There must be someone out there that has created a box that can be hooked up to any garden variety vacuum to do the same thing. It ain't rocket science ya' know. ;)
  19. Thank you all for the tips. Unfortunately, I'm not able to buy a washing machine. I can't afford one in the meantime. I'll stick to the cheap and quick way. Better buy an anti-static cleaning solution and a new brush. :uhhuh:
  20. I believe I should consider this funny but I can't find any meaning in what you just said.
  21. I used to experience the same thing. Do not use the fibre brush until your record is totally dry and if you use warm water, please ensure the steam are not visible and present.
  22. Not sure of your budget, but the Spin Clean is an expensive yet highly effective tool to clean your LP's.
  23. As I stated, it was at least 90% dry. I didn't dry it with something. I just put the carbon fibre brush on it. Brushed it in circural motions until the water disappeared.
  24. Probably just moved the dirt around, need to rinse it off in some way. Also try a record cleaning brush, MoFi offers a nice one. Do a search, many threads on this subject already out there.
  25. Don't mean to fence, but where did the water go? Did you sweep it off with the brush? It just doesn't disappear. In fact, I think despite the issue Radiophonic raised- about water surface tension not making it easy for the liquid to get down into the groove itself, the brushing action with a carbon fibre brush may have helped do just that.
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How To Clean Records With Water

Source: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/is-it-safe-to-clean-records-using-water.399321/

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