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Re: Heavy Duty DIY Record Cleaning Formulas? Anyone wish to share?

65.92.10.36

I am somewhat fortunate in that my wife is a research tech at the local university so I have access to free ultrapure water which I have been using primarily as a rinse, but sometimes just as a straight cleaner recently, and it is quite effective.

That being said, my curiousity was piqued recently when I read a thread on Audiogon relating to "steaming" records and I've recently incorporated it into my cleaning regime. You can try this out for about $35 and, IMO, it is very, very effective. I purchased a Sunbeam garment steamer at Walmart (in Canada, like you) for $30 along with a jug of "steam distilled" water, also at Walmart for a couple of bucks.

Start off with whatever cleaner you're using (even just straight distilled water if you want to). I am a firm believer that records do not need to be scrubbed-in fact I've had bad experiences with what I'd describe to be scrubbing records. I use only carbon fibre brushes to brush both cleaning fluids or rinse water on a record.

I apply the cleaning fluid (in my case RRL) with a brush on my "cleaning turntable", then steam the record with the Walmart water, holding the steamer about and inch and a half or two inches above the revolving record. You can warp a record (I've only had a problem with one) if you get too close or oversteam, so practising on a junker to get the feel of what the limitations are is probably worthwhile. Following the steaming, I'll brush again just for a few seconds, steam again and then vacuum.

I think the steam, especially followed by a quick carbon fibre brushing has 1) an ability to really loosen up strongly attached crud which straight cleaners might not be able to do without repeated cleanings and 2) an ability to really break down grease like substances (fingerprints, etc.) that some of the straight cleaners have a bit of trouble with.

I have found in the past that some stubborn records have required multiple cleanings; since incorporating steam (and a little extra time of course) into the cleaning regime I'm rarely cleaning a record more than once and finding them to be cleaner/quieter overall.

An inexpensive experiment if you'd care to try it.

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  Kimber Kable  

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