Frequent Cleaning of Your Vinyl Record Collection: DIY Guide to Maintaining Your Records at Home
Dump your dirty records and learn how to spring clean them right at home! You'll need some soft microfiber cloths and a high-quality alcohol-based record cleaning fluid to keep your vinyl looking and sounding fresh. Ready to refresh your stacks? Here's your guide to homemade, no-fuss record detailing.
Don't wait for a major dirt buildup—give your records a light wipe down before and after every spin using an anti-static carbon fibre brush or velvet anti-static brush to keep 'em clean. Remember, gentle is cool!
When your records need a deep clean or are second-hand, give 'em an all-around spruce with these handy tips.
What You'll Need:
- A clean workspace
- A bright light
- Microfibre cloths (seek premium ones from Paragon)
- Vinyl cleaning solution (grab some from vinylshelter.co.uk)
- Small spray bottle
- Distilled water (optional)
- New inner sleeves (optional)
- New outer sleeves (optional)
Set Up Your Cleaning Station
First things first, let's get your workspace squeaky clean. Wipe down the area with an anti-bacterial surface cleanser, and then lay out a microfibre cloth to keep those records scratch-free. Place the record flat for cleaning, and let there be plenty of light on your workspace, as seeing every nook and cranny is essential.
Vinyl Light Therapy
Give your record a deep look under a bright light to check for any hidden flaws or damage. We scrutinize every record several times under a light during our inspecting, cleaning, and grading process to ensure nothing gets missed.
Cleaning Your Record
Now that your workstation is neat, put on some gloves, take your cleaning solution, and apply it in small amounts to the playing surface using a small spray bottle. Then, take another microfibre cloth and brush the cleaning solution gently across the grooves, following the direction of the grooves while making large circular motions. If needed, add more cleaning solution as you go.
Pro Tip: Don't clean across the grooves to prevent pushing dirt and debris further in! After you've given the record a good scrub, flip it over and repeat on the other side. Be sure to remove excess cleaning solution before playing or storing the record.
Distilled Water Warning: Alcohol-based cleaning solutions may be harsh on some records, particularly delicate ones like picture or flexi discs. For these fragile records, opt for using distilled water instead.
Wiper-oooohs!
If you're using distilled water, you can clean the record sleeve in a similar fashion, but take care to prevent wetting prints or any more porous sleeves, as this could cause them to run or become damaged. Allow the sleeve to fully dry before storing.
Time to put those sparkling records back in fresh protective sleeves! We suggest using resealable outer sleeves from Spincare or our archival rice paper inner sleeves.
Avoiding PVC Disaster
First of all, keep your precious records away from PVC sleeves, as these nasty suckers release gas that can damage both records and sleeves over time. In extreme cases, they've been impossible to remove. Many picture discs were sold with PVC sleeves—rip 'em off and store them correctly.
Incorporate a refreshing lifestyle change by handling your fashion-and-beauty items with care, using anti-static brushes to prevent dust accumulation.
While you're sprucing up your household goods, don't forget to create an inviting atmosphere with the perfect dinner recipe from your favorite books.
When you've finished enjoying a delightful meal, unwind with entertaining movies or series, all while keeping your vinyl records, home, and garden in pristine condition. Don't forget to treat yourself to a little shopping spree for high-quality microfiber cloths and vinyl cleaning solutions!
