Cleaning & Care

Speakers Vinyl Records Turntables Needles & Accessories Audio System Components Complete Sound Systems

TAKING CARE OF YOUR RECORDS

Looking after your records is actually pretty simple (provided you keep at it), and many regard it as part of the magic of keeping a legendary collection. Chances are, if you own a sizeable vinyl vault, you'll be using the right cleaning materials already. Not everyone does though. And if you've mistakenly thought that tap water will do the trick, there's much more to learn. So stick around.After all, this is probably the one major part of your life that's not stored digitally.

Storage and Passive Care
Much comes down to you treat your records when they're not in use. This part is usually simple, but if you do it properly you'll be rewarded for decades to come. This involves some obvious pointers like keeping your vinyl out of the sunny windows and heat sources like amplifiers, and humid areas of the house like bathrooms or kitchens, presuming they don't have an extraction fan, are a definite no. Be wary of areas that are just hot or humid in general. If you're new to the game, you may not have known that records should never be stored horizontally in large numbers. If you really need to though, stacks shouldn't exceed 15-20 in number.

Then there are the obvious points: records should be kept in their sleeves when not in use. This comes down to the war against dust is, but it doesn't have to be a struggle. One fool-proof method is to store them in plastic sleeves. If you find that comes off as tacky, the cardboard sleeve should fare just fine. It also generates less static.

Guarding against static
Static is the other area you'll need to guard against. The paper sleeves which records are shipped in tend generate plenty of it. It pays to invest in some polyethylene lined sleeves for your most favored records.

Handling your records
If you're staging a romantic dinner and have been cooking all evening, remember keep those oily paws off the fine grooves. If you want your records and stylus to be playing like they did a year from now that is. For general handling though, the place you hold the record matters too: The labeled area and outer edges are safe-zones for those fingers.

Before and after slipping on a record, a carbon fiber brush is handy of removing any micro-particles that could've landed on your favorite LP between taking it out and replacing it inside it's sleeve. Another great way to remain dust-proof is to buy a record player with a lid.

Record Cleaning
No matter how meticulous you are about record storage, a good cleaning now and then will benefit your vinyl, keeping the sound just as crisp and clean as it should be. If it's an older record or you've just let it become dusty as hell through lack of discretion, there are a number of tried and tested ways of restoring it to it's former glory provided it's not been scratched. Any grime that invariably comes with second-hand records should be dealt with immediately so as not to damage your stylus.

If you want to simplify the process, there are plenty of cleaning machines available that will save you time, but assuming you're more hands on, there are some classic methods of record-cleaning that will be available for as long as records are around. That said, cleaning machines are also available, which will make the load lighter.

Cleaning Machines
Although automatic record-cleaning machines tend to be expensive and space-consuming, that doesn't mean you can't save time and money by buying a compact and trusty manual cleaning machine. Especially if you have a massive vinyl collection, this will turn a day's cleaning into a couple of hours. The Spin Clean Record Cleaner is one fine example of this, and it works using the same mixture of cleaning solution and distilled water.

The Classic Cleaning Method

Before you start to clean, always use a dry carbon fiber brush to take off any loose dust particles. Some cleaning solutions include this as part of the package, such as the Clear Groove Record Cleaning Solution for instance. If you don't brush before applying the wet cloth (the next step), dust can become lodged inside the grooves.

Next, apply your cleaning brush with record-cleaning solution. You might choose to dilute with some distilled water (Again, never use ordinary tap water as the minerals will cause the vinyl to degenerate). Now gently wipe the grooves, going with the grain, for obvious reasons. After a few swipes, check the cloth for any dust deposits and rinse them off before restarting the process. The cloth shouldn't be sopping wet, so just wet it enough to pick up those finer dust particles. While you're cleaning, be wary of getting any water on the label. This can cause smudging.

Now stack your records vertically and leave them to dry in an area of the house that isn't too dusty.

Stylus Maintenance
This is the point where the needle hits the groove, so it's crucially important to maintaining a healthy library.As we mentioned before, keeping your stylus clean and properly aligned will have a direct effect on how long your records last. This is because a badly maintained stylus can end up scratching your records. Keeping your records clean in turn, will effect the longevity of your stylus, so it's this cycle you need to keep an eye on, and fortunately it doesn't require a lot of work provided you don't let things get out of whack in the first place.

A few pointers are worth bearing in mind here:

- Never use a worn-out stylus.
-Ensure that your stylus is clean and free of grime at all times.
-Make sure you've balanced your stylus in accordance with your cartridge's requirements.
- Be sure to align your cartridge properly.
-Set up your anti-skate counterweight properly.

Summing it all up

In a nutshell, record-maintenance is all about keeping the physical connection between record and stylus crisp and clear. Records are still the most magical form of music-appreciation, and caring for your record collection won't require heaps of work if you take care of regular maintenance.

Take a look inside BaseVinyl.com

Definitive Technology Pro Cin 800 BK System Black

All in one box Pro Cineama 800 System consisting of 4 each ProMonitor 800 satellites, 1 each ProCenter 1000 and 1 each ProSub 800Huge speaker sound from small easy to place and use satellite speakersPressure-coupled mid..

Definitive Technology BP-8040ST Bipolar Tower with Built-In Powered Subwoofer, Each

Floor-standing bipolar SuperTower loudspeaker with built-in powered subwooferBipolar technology for huge room-filling sound for every listener in the roomBuilt in 300 watt powered subwoofer delivers massive bass, elimina..

Album Of The Year (2016 Remaster)(2LP 180 Gram Vinyl)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR became the first Faith No More release to feature members of the current lineup: Mike Bordin (drums), Roddy Bottum (keyboards) Billy Gould (bass) Jon Hudson (guitar), and Mike Patton (vocals). Recorded ..

Jensen 3-Speed Turntable CD/AM/FM Music System Cassette Encoding, Dual Cd Loading, CD-R/RW Compatible with Aux Input, Remote Control & FREE Batteri...

Jensen 3-Speed Stereo Turntable Music System with CD & Cassette Encoding Front Loading CD Player The belt driven turntable comes complete with two cd players to convert your vinyl records into cd form Auxiliary Input..

Pyle PLTTB1 Professional Belt-Drive Manual Turntable

An affordable option for listeners who value high-end sound but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars, the Pyle PLTTB1 belt-drive turntable makes both classic LPs and modern vinyl sound like new. The device includes su..

Truck Drivin' Man (RSD 2016)

Willie Nelson / Uncle Tupelo - Truck Drivin' Man - 7" VinylPanic! At The Disco - Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! (Vinyl) 1"This Is Gospel" 3:072"Miss Jackson" 3:12 3"Vegas Lights" 3:10 4"Girl That You Love" 3:09 5..

Indie Cindy

2014 will be the year that PIXIES indelibly stamp their musical footprinton rock history. On April 29, the Alternative Rock legends release theirfirst studio album since 1991 s Trompe Le Monde . Needless to say, withtwo ..

How It Feels To Be Something On

Sunny Day Real Estate's 1998 album How It Feels to Be Something On is back in print on vinyl.Shrink-wrapped..

Cleaning & Vinyl Care

Product Compare (0)

Sort By:

Show:

Riverstone Audio Precision RECORD LEVEL Turntable Stylus Tracking Force Pressure Gauge / Scale 100g, 0.005g Resolution (silver)

A Professional tracking force gauge designed for vinyl record purist's interested in more precise measurement of vertical tracking force (VTF). In addition to influencing playback quality, improper VTF can cause excessiv..

Take a look inside BaseVinyl.com

Definitive Technology Pro Cin 800 BK System Black

Definitive Technology BP-8040ST Bipolar Tower with Built-In Powered Subwoofer, Each

Album Of The Year (2016 Remaster)(2LP 180 Gram Vinyl)

Jensen 3-Speed Turntable CD/AM/FM Music System Cassette Encoding, Dual Cd Loading, CD-R/RW Compatible with Aux Input, Remote Control & FREE Batteri...

Pyle PLTTB1 Professional Belt-Drive Manual Turntable

Truck Drivin' Man (RSD 2016)

Indie Cindy

How It Feels To Be Something On

Cleaning & Vinyl Care

Riverstone Audio Precision RECORD LEVEL Turntable Stylus Tracking Force Pressure Gauge / Scale 100g, 0.005g Resolution (silver)

SPIN-CLEAN - STARTER KIT RECORD WASHER SYSTEM Mk2

TechPlay Anti Static Carbon Fiber record and LP cleaner and washer with Stylus brush and record cleaning liquid set.

TechPlay Anti Static Carbon Fiber record and LP cleaner and washer with Stylus brush and record cleaning liquid set.

Tetra-Teknica RB-01 Anti-Static Carbon Fiber LP Vinyl Record Brush

Turntable Lab: Cork Record Mat

Turntable Lab: Spacemat Record Slipmat - Single

Turntable Phonograph LP Phono Cartridge Stylus Alignment Protractor Tool | Mirrored | v2 | Made in USA

Turntable Toys TC-8 Cork Audiophile Turntable Mat 1/8-Inch thick