Post #329029 by Digitiki on Thu, Aug 30, 2007 9:05 AM

OK, I started this thread a long time ago and since then I have learned a few things. First thing I have learned is why have such a large CD collection--vinyl is a real bitch to deal with.

Here has been my solution for quite some time:

1. I make my own homemade cleaner very cheaply. After paying $20+ for a small bottle of record cleaner, I decided to research what was actually in them. I found this web site that listed different homemade cleaning solutions and I tried a few of them out. This one seems to work and is VERY cheap to make

1 part denatured alcohol (do not use rubbing alcohol)
3 parts distilled water (not drinking water)
1 small drop of dish washing liquid (no alovera or moisturizers--degreasing action is good.)

I usually make a small amount (like 1 oz of alcohol to 3oz of water)

IMPORTANT NOTE: only add enough dish washing liquid so that when you shake the solution up, the foam dissipates quickly. in other words, you don't want it foam up like the head on a glass of beer.

Then I use LAST brand microfiber brushes to apply the cleaner to the record and gently brush it around the surface. These brushes aren't cheap, but they do a great job at getting into the grooves. You can find them here: http://www.needledoctor.com/Last-Record-Brushes-10-Pack?sc=2&category=1180

Then I simply use a lint-less cloth to wipe off the record, moving around the record with the grooves continually until the solution dries.

Voila, a clean record.

MY SECRET WEAPON:

After the wet cleaning, I use a Nagaoka Rolling 152 record roller. This little gem is a sticky rubberized roller than picks off every foreign object off the record surface and gets down in the grooves pretty well. Its a little expensive ($45+) from Japan, but I've cleaned swap meet records using only the roller and they play beautifully.

I hope this helps.

"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." -- Dean Martin

[ Edited by: Digitiki 2007-08-30 09:06 ]