How To Clean Vinyl Records
Vinyl Records need a lot of caring, plain and simple. Without cleaning your vinyl records, mildew and other forms of damages may occur.
Knowing the correct solutions and equipment to clean your vinyl is key to keeping a great collection sounding great.
DJs need to be just as religious with caring for their records as much as a collector would. Without proper cleaning, vinyl will not play to their best potential and will sound muddy on the dance floor.
Cleaning your vinyl isn’t hard and does not take much time but should become a regular process for those that choose this musical format for their DJing.
As a DJ, vinyl records go through enough wear and tear from regular play during mixes. Vinyl does not need to be additionally damaged by incorrect storage methods or from lack of cleaning.
There are a few ways to clean vinyl records. The following should be a great guide to get started.
Choosing the right vinyl cleaning brush
Most vinyl accumulates dust, particles and mildew from various conditions such as low air circulation or humidity. As vinyl continues to collect dust and other particles, playback will result in additional skips, hissing and pops.
A brush will often do the trick when cleaning vinyl as it will remove most of the nastiness on the surface of the record.
Before you go out and grab any old brush you have laying around it’s best to know which ones are right for cleaning without causing any additional damage from scratching.
The best brush you could use for cleaning vinyl records is a high count carbon fiber brush. These carbon fiber brushes will help sweep away most particles on your vinyl record and help restore the original sound.
If you do not go with the carbon fiber brush, you could also choose a felt brush. A brush made of felt will be able to get within the groove of a record and pull out any particles which may muddy the sound. These brushes are often very inexpensive and can be found online or at local music shops.
Many brushes are also anti-static which will help the particles to cling to the brush. Check on the packaging or listing of where you are buying your brushes to make sure they list anti-static this way you know you’re getting the best brush for your money.
The only problem with only using a brush to clean your records is that it pushes the particles off of your record but doesn’t get rid of them. The particles from your record will continue to float around in the air of the room only to settle back down on the vinyl records at a later time.
To combat your vinyl from recollecting these particles, it’s best to use a cleaning solution in tandem with regular brushing.
Choosing the correct vinyl cleaning solution
Not all vinyl cleaning solutions are considered equal. Using any solution before knowing what it can do to vinyl could cause major damage and ruin your record.
The reason why some vinyl cleaning solutions may cause damage is that it may have an incorrect mixture of cleaning solution which reacts to the vinyl material and causes abrasions or worse – melts it.
The best cleaning solutions are ones which have been trusted for years such as D4+.
A cleaning solution is your best bet in cleaning your vinyl because it gets deep down into the grooves to lift out any particles which may have settle. Using a cleaning solution with a brush will give you optimal results that make your vinyl sounds crystal clear again.
The vinyl cleaning process
Now that you have your vinyl cleaning solution and brush it’s time to start cleaning those records.
The most important thing about cleaning records to remember is to never apply the cleaning solution directly to the vinyl record. You want to dampen the vinyl – not soak it.
To begin, apply a small amount of cleaning solution to a felt or other high fiber count cloth.
Next, in a circular motion in the same direction as the grooves, gently wipe down the vinyl record and make sure an even coat of the solution is covering the entirety of the record.
Using a dry cloth, wipe down the side of the vinyl you applied the solution to.
At this point you may be tempted to further wipe down the area with your brush but DO NOT do this at this time.
Wiping down the vinyl with a brush at this time will only soak your brush and push around the solution.
Instead, let the vinyl dry out on top of cloth or paper towels for a few hours to make sure all of the solution has evaporated.
After the solution has evaporated from the vinyl, in a circular motion again, wipe down the vinyl with your brush.
Once one side is finished, start with the next side.
After both sides have been cleaned you should now be all set with cleaning your vinyl – give it a play!
How often should I clean my vinyl?
Ideally, you should clean your vinyl every month or so but if you can only do it once a year you should be set.
If you take the steps to properly store your vinyl you should be able to get by with the minimal amount of maintenance.
Whenever you’re bored or finding music in your collection, grab a few records out and clean them instead of lumping them all together on one day.
Additional tips and tricks
As a DJ, you should always make sure you store and maintain your records so they play at the best sound possible to your crowd.
A muddy record will sound doubly so when played over a loud system, you don’t want your listeners to experience a mediocre set do you?
Investing in a a brush and cleaning solution while keeping a regular cleaning schedule should help you avoid any long term damage caused by vinyl becoming dirty.
You owe it to yourself and your crowds to keep your vinyl in tip-top shape. Remember, you’ve already invested so much in your collection, why let it go to waste from little things like dust.
Where to buy vinyl cleaning kits, brushes and solutions
Like usual, Amazon has quite a selection of vinyl cleaning equipment at decent prices. Here are some cleaning kits, brushes and solutions worth checking out:
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