Vinyl cleaning

Music Room
1

I have been trying to avoid ‘getting into’ vinyl. I didn’t want to have another obsession.
I have failed….

I’ve bought quite a few used records recently from charity shops, record shops, discogs and facebook.
Its a bit of a lottery as to what state the vinyl is in.
So i have bought a SpinClean. I looked at the more expensive cleaners but they dont seem value for money to me, plus there are mixed reviews on whether they work.

However, using the SpinClean as per the instructions does not yield the results i was hoping for. More clicks and pops than i would like. Of course its entirely possible that the vinyl is too worn/damaged but i was expecting more.

After that long preamble time for my questions!

Whats the best way to clean a record using the SpinClean? Anything that is not in the instructions.

Is there anything i can do before or after that helps?
For example, brushing before and using an anti-static
Product after?

Cheers

2

Make sure that any water you use is as pure as possible. I use APC Pure distilled water for my RCM and it made a big difference over the de-ionised stuff you buy from the garage, supermarket etc. etc… Ultimately though, the SpinClean is probably best as a sort of pre-cleaner, but no substitute for a proper RCM. A proper RCM need not be killingly expensive either - the Pro-Ject VC-S is excellent, and what I now use after many years using a Nitty Gritty.

6 Likes
3

Thanks richard.
I do use distilled water with the SpinClean.

A quick google shows the Pro-ject costing over £400 + £100ish for the 7” additions.
Thats a bit pricey for me as i have less than 100 records. Maybe a few years down the line…

Looks like it works by brushing the record with a cleaning fluid and then hoovers up the debris.
So maybe a decent brush of the record before a SpinClean?

4

I’ve had excellent results using a cleaner of the same type as a spinclean - even on 50 year old records with mould. I would persevere, trying different techniques and fluids.

5

Pev999 any recommendations for the fluid?
L’art du son gets good reviews. Have you used it?

7

I use distilled water and about 10% isopropyl alcohol. The ready mix available from Diverse Vinyl also works well.

8

Pev999: Ok can give that a go. Do you use it as the fluid bath for your machine or do you apply separately with a brush?

9

In the bath - my version has brushes built in - it’s the Disco Anti Stat that DV used to sell but the Spinclean looks the same. They are usually at the Bristol Show which is this weekend if that helps as they will be able to advise.

10

I use 2 spincleans. One to wash using Tonar cleaning solution. The other to rinse with distilled water. Then let them dry on a rack and put them straight into new anti static sleeves. I’ve been using this method for a few years and found it works very well.

1 Like
11

My brother in law has just had his LPs cleaned by a dealer - he’s thinking of it as a one-off(!). There is still some surface noise, but of course cleaning doesn’t do anything about wear if a record has been played s lot, nor any physical damage. He regards it, as simply one of thr costs of still enjoying his old vinyl.

Maybe best regard it as one of the quoibles of vinyl. Curious as to why you went back to it, nostalgia not being string enough for me.

12

Excellent fluid! Highly recommended. I use it.

2 Likes
13

I haven’t really gone back to it. Never had a turntable until I inherited the LP12 last year.
About 20 years ago i had Napster and i ripped all my cds. Then got rid of all the cds. Then as i bought progressively better audio equipment i realised i didnt like the rips and have been buying all the cds back second hand.
Not so long ago I went to a local vinyl night and really enjoyed it. Next day i went and bought some vinyl and i got hooked.

1 Like
14

Thanks, after a clean i do use new sleeves. I can see the logic in a second device for rinsing.
Thinking it may be an idea to use a SpinClean and a knosti disco antistat cleaner. The two machines are slightly different which could be useful.
First, i could do with getting a good process going with the one machine.

1 Like
15

I use the Knosti myself. I assumed the spinclean was the same thing

16

The hoovering is where the majority of the advantage comes from, fyi.

17

I’m considering upgrading from SpinClean to a HumminGuru unit
There has been some positive feedback on the HG unit here in the forum.

18

FYI, there’s a review of the HG Nova product in March’s Hi-Fi Choice magazine (in the UK).

19

I have the spin cleaner and used the supplied fluid mixed with distilled water. It definitely got rid of surface dust and any finger prints and the record looked nice and shiny. Apart from trying purified water over distilled I can’t really think of any further way to improve upon it. Oh except don’t use the supplied cloths for drying they leave lots of fibers behind. Try a clean good quality microfiber cloth instead.
I’m now using a Okki Nokki RCM and my own fluid mixed from 50% distilled water and 50% bioethanol. Works a treat. Don’t use this in your spin cleaner, it’s just not compatible.

1 Like
20

If you do I recommend there cleaning agent, bought it a couple of weeks ago and most impressed.

IMG_0854

1 Like
21

Happy Sunday afternoon from sunny New Zealand. A friend and I evolved the notion of warm softly sudsy dish-wash liquid and a Hunts brush then air dried in the late 1980’s - I do it still…