Cleaning Vinyl Records

So, I spent a few hours this weekend cleaning roughly a quarter of my vinyl record collection – probably around 25 albums.  Previously, I had been using a spray solution, hand wiping each side of the record.  It worked OK – at least it cleaned the vinyl, but it didn’t result in the performance that I hoped for i.e. drastically reducing static and pops and other noises found on the old vinyl that I collect.  So, I’ve been looking at record cleaners, but did not want to spend $400 bucks (at a minimum).  So, I purchased a Spin Clean system for $80.  The concept is simple, fill the reservoir with water and some of the provided solution, then manually spin each record 3 times clockwise, then counter-clockwise, then remove the record and dry with the provided towels.  Simple enough and it’s gotten really good reviews everywhere I’ve looked.

I augmented this cleaning process, by using Last Power Cleaner before the Spin Clean process, and applying Last Record Preservative after the Spin Clean process.  Last Power Cleaner is a mold release agent, designed to deeply clean vinyl records, especially the gunk that is left after the record pressing process.  Last Preservative is, well, a preservative, designed to protect vinyl for up to 200 plays.  You see, simply playing a record causes damage – it’s slight, but still damaging.  All in all, it takes roughly 5 minutes per record following this process.

The result was well worth it.  My Rush – Caress of Steel album had a nasty skip in Bastille Day, but after the cleaning it played without skipping.  My Judas Priest – Hell Bent For Leather, which was in pretty beat-up shape played with very minimal surface noise.  And, overall, I found the albums to emit a cleaner, maybe even brighter, sound.  Now, it couldn’t work miracles, like on my nearly destroyed copy of the Beatles White Album.  Back in the U.S.S.R. had caked on gunk for the last 1/4 of the track.  The cleaning removed a lot of it – I was actually really surprised – and the track did play better, but it was still too damaged to be completely repaired.  Oh well, I’ll have to find a better copy, I guess.

The moral of this story is that I’ve am less worried – excited in fact – about shopping at my local record store for original pressings that may be in so-so condition.