how do you clean yr records?
 

I just got a new turntable system. I have a bunch of old dusty and really dirty records that my aunt gave to me and I want to clean them. How do you guys go about this? I've been looking at some shit but there is so much variety and methods out there I don't really know what to do. Does it really matter? I might get that spin clean thing along with a brush for dry cleaning them as that seems pretty cheap compared to other options. Not trying to spend a lot of money but I am willing to I guess cause I'm a fucking nerd.

Does it really matter?

By your own admittance, the records are, "old dusty and really dirty." Cleaning records in this condition is far different than your standard clean and play wax.

On truly filthly wax, rubbing alcohol applied to the felt of a disk washer block has worked excellent for me in the past. Rubbing alcohol is much cheaper than specislized cleaning solutions. However, if the wax responds favorably to the rubbing alcohol, I then would proceed with a more specialized cleaning solution.

I'm sure a few here are horrified by my suggestion of rubbing alcohol and I won't argue against them, but it worked wonders on some wax I had that suffered mold damage after a lengthy hurricane evacuation.

denatured rubbing alcohol cut with water

or even a soft tgowel and some mild soapy warm water, to at least get the DIRT off.

be careful with your labels though!

my method that I've used for years is dishwashing liquid and a soft cotton cloth. I wouldn't use alcohol because it is a solvent. Rinse well, then follow up with clean water and a "discwasher", basically a piece of lint free velour cloth wrapped around a soft tube, a short chunk of pipe insulation foam is a good choice for the tube if you don't want to pay 10$ for the "pro model". Use distilled water if your water is overly "soft or hard"

I would use distilled water but my wife likes me overly hard

at $1/gallon i'd use distilled h20 by default as it will leave no mineral deposit. that's what i use in all the cleaning sprays i mix-- doesn't leave spots in glass etc.

I pay 30 cents for a gallon of distilled. Should I set up a distro for where you live?

almers wood glue. let it dry then peel like you did off yr fingers in the third grade.

where the hell do you get it? i quoted walrats prices. bottled up, not bring-your-container-reverse-osmosis like.

this does indeedwork for very dirty LP's, but you'd still want to hit em with a damp rag or cloth

for the stylus, you are better off buying a new one if your old one is jacked. Otherwise you can use a soft brush to clean it.

a small inexpensive paintbrush to remove any fuzz

The wood glue thing sounds so easy to fuck up. I feel like I'd just end up making my records worse. I may have to sacrifice a shit record and test it out.

Once while waiting at a bus stop with a bag full of used vinyl, an older lady told me that her brother used to clean his records with potatoes sliced in half. I don't think this makes any sense, but she was quite serious.