Budget record cleaner recs?

[siggie]

I'm dipping my toe into vinyl, and there is a fair amount of dust on many of the old records I have. Can anyone recommend a product in the $35 and under price range for dust removal and light cleaning? Earlier discussions recommend cleaning with soap and water (I don't want to get the labels wet) or cleaning systems ranging from $80 to $1,000+.

Thanks in advance,

siggie

[novisnick]

I say this with all the love in my heart, at a $35.00 price point I would wait on dipping my toes.
The $80.00 Spin Clean is the best value anyway you cut it.
It will clean your LPs beautifully,
Low amount of work per result
Price of LPs is about $18.99 to $35.00 . Great values are hit and miss in the used market, I've had mixed results, this is the world you want to dip into.
Review the many You-tube videos if you have access, they will be very helpfull but after I went down this route I've found that the best system for me is the SC system.

I applaud anyone wanting to hear the sonic ability of vinyl and wish you great listening.

Nick

[KeithL]

Records are a huge investment - and one that dwarfs the price of most record cleaners. Since a bad record cleaner could ruin thousands of dollars worth of records, I would be more concerned with finding one that has a track record of working well and not ruining records than I would be of saving a few dollars. (This is especially true of those which include "permanent coatings", or which may simply leave a soap residue that may build up over time, or which may remove plasticizer chemicals from the vinyl which may cause it to deteriorate prematurely. I seem to recall a recent "stir" over the discovery that records "treated" with some record treatment popular a few decades ago ended up becoming noisier years after they were treated because the treatment actually attracted dirt and somehow damaged the surface of the vinyl itself. Since vinyl itself does deteriorate over time, it could be less than simple to determine the fault in such a situation. About the only thing I would "trust 100%" would be washing them gently in 100% pure distilled water.)

Note that these concerns are modified if you plan to clean your records preparatory to digitizing them... in which case, having them as clean as possible in the short term may be more important to you than whether you contribute to their absolute longevity or not.

Jul 11, 2014 8:38:53 GMT -5 novisnick said:

I say this with all the love in my heart, at a $35.00 price point I would wait on dipping my toes.
The $80.00 Spin Clean is the best value anyway you cut it.
It will clean your LPs beautifully,
Low amount of work per result
Price of LPs is about $18.99 to $35.00 . Great values are hit and miss in the used market, I've had mixed results, this is the world you want to dip into.
Review the many You-tube videos if you have access, they will be very helpfull but after I went down this route I've found that the best system for me is the SC system.

I applaud anyone wanting to hear the sonic ability of vinyl and wish you great listening.

Nick

[mshump]

Nick is right, the Spin Clean is the best bang for buck system below 100.00

[KeithL]

There are also a whole bunch of "record brushes" available that are used in conjunction with "cleaning fluid". They vary hugely in price, and some are quite safe - and effective - while others are not. These aren't going to work as "aggressively" on really mucky records as a true cleaning machine, but I always found them effective for "just plain dust" - even in quantity. They are also something you use "at play time", on the turntable, which makes them quite convenient to use right before each playing.

I haven't used one in years, but this is the one I always used, and I always found it to work very well (and they still make it)... it's $20.
(Do read and follow the directions.)

www.needledoctor.com/Discwasher-D4-Kit?sc=2&category=108

Also note (in case it isn't obvious) that you should always clean records BEFORE playing them for the first time. Because of the huge amounts of force (per square inch) exerted by the stylus, playing a dirty record can actually imbed the dirt into the surface - after which it won't be possible to clean it out, and can also damage the surface itself - which cannot be repaired. If you're not sure, or the record looks less than pristine, always clean it before playing it for the first time.

Jul 11, 2014 8:25:02 GMT -5 siggie said:

I'm dipping my toe into vinyl, and there is a fair amount of dust on many of the old records I have. Can anyone recommend a product in the $35 and under price range for dust removal and light cleaning? Earlier discussions recommend cleaning with soap and water (I don't want to get the labels wet) or cleaning systems ranging from $80 to $1,000+.

Thanks in advance,

siggie

[novisnick]

Jul 11, 2014 10:42:45 GMT -5 KeithL said:

There are also a whole bunch of "record brushes" available that are used in conjunction with "cleaning fluid". They vary hugely in price, and some are quite safe - and effective - while others are not. These aren't going to work as "aggressively" on really mucky records as a true cleaning machine, but I always found them effective for "just plain dust" - even in quantity. They are also something you use "at play time", on the turntable, which makes them quite convenient to use right before each playing.

I haven't used one in years, but this is the one I always used, and I always found it to work very well (and they still make it)... it's $20.
(Do read and follow the directions.)

www.needledoctor.com/Discwasher-D4-Kit?sc=2&category=108

Also note (in case it isn't obvious) that you should always clean records BEFORE playing them for the first time. Because of the huge amounts of force (per square inch) exerted by the stylus, playing a dirty record can actually imbed the dirt into the surface - after which it won't be possible to clean it out, and can also damage the surface itself - which cannot be repaired. If you're not sure, or the record looks less than pristine, always clean it before playing it for the first time.

Jul 11, 2014 8:25:02 GMT -5 siggie said:

I'm dipping my toe into vinyl, and there is a fair amount of dust on many of the old records I have. Can anyone recommend a product in the $35 and under price range for dust removal and light cleaning? Earlier discussions recommend cleaning with soap and water (I don't want to get the labels wet) or cleaning systems ranging from $80 to $1,000+.

Thanks in advance,

siggie

Word of caution, I personally would not use a cleaning fluid and brush on an LP that is resting on a TT.
place the vinyl on a cloth or soft towel ,,,,micro fiber if you like, to clean the vinyl using this method.
just my two cents worth of caution.

Happy spinning!

Nick

[milsap195]

Just purchased a spin clean and it is great.

[drtrey3]

A step up from the Spin Clean is something like the cheapest vacuum cleaner you can get from online. The suction really helps get the rinse water and the little gritchies that accompany it out of the grooves. NEVER use to vacuum to suck up the soapy water, you do that yourself, just use the machine to get the rinse water to avoid contaminating the velvet.

And I really, really like the Disc Doctor cleaning products.

Trey

[siggie]

Thanks, folks. Dust seems to be my main problem, so I ordered the brush that Keith suggested. (I got my first two new records in 30 years and they picked up some specks of dust as soon as I pulled them out of the jackets!) I will pick up a Spin Clean or something similar if my record collection warrants the investment.

siggie

[mfeust]

I too have the Spin Clean system and it works very well but I considerate it a very labor intensive cleaning system. I had the opporunity to use a VPI HW 16.5 cleaning system and if I could afford it I would buy it in a heart beat.

Mark

[novisnick]

Jul 11, 2014 13:03:40 GMT -5 mfeust said:

I too have the Spin Clean system and it works very well but I considerate it a very labor intensive cleaning system. I had the opporunity to use a VPI HW 16.5 cleaning system and if I could afford it I would buy it in a heart beat.

Mark

Yes, I guess a $660.00 VPI HW 16.5 machine would /should be much easier,,,,,,,OH, if we all had that change just laying around,,,,,,,,,,,,,
sorry, I'm just shaking my head at this one.

[milsap195]

I have enjoyed cleaning my records, it's relaxing.

[novisnick]

Jul 11, 2014 13:24:17 GMT -5 milsap195 said:

I have enjoyed cleaning my records, it's relaxing.

And a great time to spin records!!

[mfeust]

Jul 11, 2014 13:16:45 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Jul 11, 2014 13:03:40 GMT -5 mfeust said:

I too have the Spin Clean system and it works very well but I considerate it a very labor intensive cleaning system. I had the opporunity to use a VPI HW 16.5 cleaning system and if I could afford it I would buy it in a heart beat.

Mark

Yes, I guess a $660.00 VPI HW 16.5 machine would /should be much easier,,,,,,,OH, if we all had that change just laying around,,,,,,,,,,,,,
sorry, I'm just shaking my head at this one.

Better watch it doesn't fall off

Mark

[mfeust]

Jul 11, 2014 13:27:37 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Jul 11, 2014 13:24:17 GMT -5 milsap195 said:

I have enjoyed cleaning my records, it's relaxing.

And a great time to spin records!!

Oops too late.

Mark

[novisnick]

Jul 11, 2014 16:48:15 GMT -5 mfeust said:

Jul 11, 2014 13:16:45 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Yes, I guess a $660.00 VPI HW 16.5 machine would /should be much easier,,,,,,,OH, if we all had that change just laying around,,,,,,,,,,,,,
sorry, I'm just shaking my head at this one.

Better watch it doesn't fall off

Mark

So glad you have a sense of humor, so many just don't " get " me! 

[autiger]

spin clean worked well for me and brought back great memories and I cataloged and organized about 350 albums. Once I got a system of cleaning down it was mindless.