BACKTRACKING FORWARD: CLEAN GROOVES

posted in: Features

The sound of bacon sizzling in a frying pan is an uplifting way to start your morning. When that sound is coming from your speakers upon cueing up an LP, it’s time roll up the sleeves and clean your records. Unfortunately, scratches in a record’s grooves are there to stay. There are some unique home remedies out there to help reduce needle skipping, and some who claim the ability to literally bake a scratch out of an LP, but you can’t clean a scratch out of a record. Beyond nasty needle abrasions, the microgrooves on a vinyl disc are a breeding ground for dirt, mold, dust, oils and microscopic elements that all affect the playback of a recording. Ever notice a small ball of dust at the end of your needle when a record finishes playing? That’s also an indication that its time to clean some grooves.

Cleaning vinyl is the most important task in maintaining your collection, followed closely behind the condition of your stylus. Combining these two improvements results in a remarkable upgrade in the sound quality of your platters. We’re talking the difference between a fresh bowl and a soggy bowl of Rice Krispies except, in this case, you really want that soggy bowl of mush because Snap, Crackle and Pop aren’t coming out to play anymore. Once you give a used album a deep cleaning, the process should never have to be repeated again, as long as you abstain from manhandling your records while cooking greasy barbecue or weeding the garden.

Collectors have established many methods for thoroughly cleaning albums, ranging from the expensive and elaborate to the cheap and minimal. Depending on your budget, here are some of your options:

Professional Vacuum Cleaners

Do you have some money burning a hole in your pocket? Are you looking to give your vinyl the kind of treatment one would receive at a fancy day spa? Eradicate that dirt and mold with a top of the line record cleaning machine. It soaks, scrubs and vacuums away all the stuff you don’t want hanging out in your grooves, providing an exceptional cleaning experience. There are many companies out there who have developed varying models of machines that range from $500 to over $1000. It’s a large investment but some enthusiasts consider it one of the best. Check out VPI and Nitty Gritty for some of the more popular models.

Elmer’s Glue

That familiar bottle of white stickiness has another use to add to its roster, aside from arts & crafts and eating. Remember getting glue all over your hands as a child, waiting for it to dry and then peeling off the pieces? Those grubby hands were remarkably cleaner than before the project started. Same concept applies to a vinyl record”once the glues dries evenly across the playing surface, it can be pulled off in one piece and the contaminants that are the cause of surface noise are literally lifted out of the grooves. Here is a link to an endless message board thread discussing this process in detail. Pour yourself some coffee and get comfortable because these vinyl enthusiasts pick apart this method from all angles. While this is effective with an LP, it works best (and takes less time) when applying it on smaller 7 ” singles.

Distilled Water and Rubbing Alcohol

If you’re like me, making time to clean records can be difficult when the kitchen, clothes and backyard all scream to be cleaned first. To save time and money, take a trip to your local drug store and pick up a jug of distilled water, rubbing alcohol, empty spray bottle and a Scotch-Brite non-abrasive cleaning cloth. Fill the spray bottle with 80 percent distilled water and 20 percent alcohol. Carefully spray the solution on the grooves of the disc, giving it an even coating and staying away from the label. Start cleaning the disc from the inside to the outer edge, making sure you go in a circular motion with the grooves on the vinyl. Ensure that the LP is 100 percent dry before playback or storage.

Toothbrush and Soap

Here is another technique that is cost effective but can be quite time consuming if you are cleaning a lot of records. This method works best on 78rpm shellac discs (those old and brittle records found in your grandmother’s closet) as the grooves are a bit wider but it can also be used on LPs. Prepare a bowl with steam distilled water and just a few drops of dish detergent. Pick up a fine and soft bristled toothbrush and get to work, slowly tracing the bristles of the brush along the grooves with the soapy solution. Clean the surface afterward with a wet, lint free cloth and then dry it. Repeat as often as you like but please make sure you don’t put the toothbrush back in the bathroom!

If you’re going to devote hours upon hours to preserve the sound quality of your vinyl collection, then you’re going to need some good background music. Listen to this sampling of OurStage tunes, as you get into the groove.