Cleaning records...newbie questions..

[Stevem5000]

Greetinjgs...
I've just started digitizing my LP's...

My question is cleaning...my process does NOT get the records as clean as I think they should be...

My process....
I use a Label Saver to hold the LP...
I wash with...
Per 1000 ml stock solution that I mix...
Distilled water from the grocery store...75%
99% isopopyl alcohol...25%
4-6 drops Dawn soap, the blue not green one...
4-6 drops Tergitol S9 and same of Tergitol S3

I "float" the wash water around the surface with a paint pad, the 4" one with lots
of small bristles...I let it soak about a minute...

Then under a fast flowing sink faucet for a quick rinse...

Then I rinse with the same solution without the soap and without the S9 which is an oil surficant...I move the rinse water around the surface of the LP with a Mofi brush...

Wipe with a microfibre towel then sit to dry for about 15 minutes...

I do NOT yet have a RCM but am getting the parts ready to build one...

Question...
What improvements can I make to my washing to improve the cleanliness...???

I'm thinking the paint pad has bristles too thick...what is better to replace this with...???

Thoughts, ideas appreciated...
Steve

[kimzter]

There is a section a little farther down the page on cleaning records. I bought a Spin-Clean and am more than happy with the results

[B_big.]

( ( ( ( ( ((((((( .

• • 'Stevem5000'! Firstly welcome to the 'Guild'. A place, where each new member is appreciated.
    
    Regarding your query, we had this topic several times before, and nearly each of us has a personal favorite cleaning method. See some here - Record Cleaning Machine, really necessary?
    
    • • • 

[RidinTheWind]

I take it that you only go once around with the paint pad to let the fluid soak? If so, I would recommend going around the record several times with it (at least six times or more depending on how dirty the disc is). This ensures the dislodging of the dirt in the grooves.

Also, you might want to try a solution of only distilled water and alcohol. The Dawn likely leaves a residue. The Tergitol I'm not familiar with, so I don't know if it leaves any film, but I think it can be eliminated; the alcohol should clean off any oil..

One other thing, I would eliminate the water from the faucet. I've seen the muck that comes out of the hydrants when the water company flushes the system.

Hope this helps.

[Graeme]

I'd pretty much go with RidinTheWind 's advice.

Nothing wrong with paint pads, I've been recommending them for years as a cheap alternative to more expensive options.

You don't need the Dawn - and there seems to be a unnecessary amount of surfactant around. Also, you should definitely use distilled water for the rinse cycle - tap water is merely undoing any good achieved in the earlier stages.

[j_loop]

Once you get the rcm up and running jettison the mircofiber cloths. The rcm will take care of most of the liquid, definitely enough to comfortably let air dry. And in my experience those cloths are just sources of lint and static (even the "lint-free" ones).

To echo the others I wouldn't use soap unless it's a very dirty (like caked-in dirty) record. And rinse thoroughly afterward.

Not all tap water is created equal so it depends what you're on. I'm on my own well and have a softener (this helps a lot) and it is very good. If you're on hard city water I would stop using it. But keep using the distilled water as a final rinse regardless.