The music pressed on vinyl is meant to last forever. Assuming correct and regular cleaning, the record will sound like new for decades to come.
Clean the record properly
That crackling and crackling is inevitably part of the listening pleasure of a record is probably one of the greatest mistakes among music lovers. Because it is not the record itself that creates the characteristic background noise – in this case, the vinyl is only dirty. Those who know the most important basic rules of record maintenance – and above all apply them – will be rewarded with years of untroubled musical enjoyment. Even more: it is amazing what you can get out of very old records with a well-made cleaning.
Brushes for a clear sound
The worst enemy of the record is dust. The electrostatic charging of the vinyl ensures that the finest dust particles are magically attracted to the “black gold”. The most important ally in the fight against dust is the carbon fiber brush. With this, you can carefully remove the coarsest dirt. The easiest way to do this is to hold the brush gently and gently against the plate as it rotates on the plate. If you repeat this procedure every time you hang up, you will not go wrong.
Use cleaning liquid specifically meant for records
Superficial cleaning is done very quickly and easily. But in this case, leave the vacuuming (like those from ByPurify to floors and carpets). The finest dust particles or greasy fingerprints are more stubborn – “dry cleaning” is hardly sufficient when cleaning records. A corresponding cleaning liquid is essential for a wash cycle.
Clean sounds better
For cleaning, you can either immerse the plates directly in the liquid or spread them on the surface with a spray bottle. In any case, you should make sure that the label stays dry. Allow the mixture to act for a few minutes and then soak up with a kitchen towel. Then you can dry the plate with a microfiber cloth – with circular movements in the direction of the grooves. Before you listen to the clean record, you should let it dry for a few hours to be on the safe side. Alternatively or as a supplement, a vinyl cleaning compound can also be used. If you have a larger collection of records, it is worth buying a vinyl washer.