(Not Sure if This is the Correct Place in the Forum) Post-Cleaning Vinyl Crackle?

[AnzacSonata]

One kinda cool thing about the Wood-Glue method is that if carefully removed, you can actually play the glue disk. Of course, use something like one of those little Fisher Price, childrens' record players for this-Not a real TT.

 

[AnzacSonata]

I have never had this problem, despite most of my records being from pre-1967, and pawn shop finds, thrift stores, yard sales that were "god awful dirty." I know some styli/carts pick up surface noise more than others. But....you shouldn't be having this problem with a "clean" record. I suspect it's your cleaning method. Dish soap, such as Dawn, will NOT remove all the dirt. From experience, I know this! I have tried just about every cleaner known, from Windex to bathroom cleaners, car soaps, Shout, rinse aids, carpet cleaners, shower cleaners, upholstery cleaners, Simple Green, alcohols and mixtures, etc., on various records and still got lots of surface noise. I finally found a cleaner that works, and always works. It removes oxidized oil (fingerprints 50+ years old), haze, food, bugs, dirt, cigarette stains, grime without damaging vinyl. (I soaked it for 30 days in it; soaked and let dry; let dry for 2 weeks and rinsed) It's available at Walmart and dollar stores, about $4/gallon, and will clean HUNDREDS of records.

This method takes about 4 to 5 minutes per LP start to finish, both to clean the record and have it dry and ready to play. And yes, be sure to use distilled water for your FINAL rinse, before drying your record.

I am amazed by the urban legends that abound for cleaning records. Microfiber is your friend, not your enemy. It is polyester, so it won't scratch. (Compare that to dragging a DIAMOND across a record groove!) It DOES NOT LEAVE LINT behind, but traps lint, just as it snags your finger prints when you handle the cloth. The fibers are very strong and don't shatter, or break into fragments as cotton or paper does. Just make sure your microfiber is CLEAN! Others say that vinyl and water don't mix.......last I heard, PVC was still used for water pipes...both pressure and drain, and for vinyl records.

As for static, you will get that even from a vacuum dry method on vinyl. You will get it just from removing it from a plastic sleeve, or even paper sleeve. You can get it just from removing the record from the platter mat. But one HINT: STATIC is much less on moist surfaces or in moist air. Yes, I use microfiber cloths (the thick ones) to dry my records after washing, too. After your record is clean and dry, use a carbon fiber brush to reduce the static just before play, if you want.

Air drying your records just isn't smart. That allows dust and airborne dirt to collect on your clean record....all over again. Unless you live in a cleanroom environment. (Who does?) If you don't do your final rinse in distilled water, you will leave small water spots. The minerals in water spots are audible on the vinyl, and very abrasive.

With a thorough cleaning, what you will hear is music....and any damaged grooves. But you will KNOW it's damage, not dirt or contaminants.

I agree, Wolfie, that air drying isn't logical -- I never understood that when I see people on YouTube or elsewhere showing themselves leaving the records to dry in a dish rack by the sink...the water particles will definitely leave something behind. I don't air dry.

Send me a PM if you'd like to talk about that "secret solution"...

 

[C6Bill]

To answer your question about the soap, I use a squeeze of the gentle dishwashing solution (usually Dawn) mixed with water (my tap water is more than likely not helping) in a small bowl, and apply that mixture gently via a sponge (dedicated SOLELY to record cleaning) by going around the record in the direction of the grooves. I do this many times, rinse well, and dry.

But honestly, I can't see this causing the crackle I'm talking about; on some LPs, it's really distracting -- but I am ensuring that I'm drying really, really well...first with the cloth and then with a spin against my velvet brush to make sure all moisture is off.

Just an FYI, there is nothing "gentle" about Dawn, it is extremely strong. A drop at most is more than enough. Where do you live ? Maybe there is an AK member in the area who could lend a hand. Usually these things are easy to resolve. And doing it in person makes it much easier.

 

[Condorsat]

You could be experiencing a residue issue w/ your cleaning fluid. Think of it like this ... you spill a coke on the floor and wipe it up ... but the floor is sticky and attracts dirt. You solution could be attracting micro dust in the micro groove.
Try some distilled water rinse cycles after you clean your vinyl or use an extremely diluted cleaning solution.

Example of diluted cleaning solution I use ...

8 oz bottle of home brew ...notice my solution is 90% water. I don't have to use a rinse cycle. Should mention I use an RCM.

90% Aquafina (or you could use distilled water)
10% ISO (99% pure)
two drops of Tergitol NP6 as a surfactant

 

[4-2-7]

One kinda cool thing about the Wood-Glue method is that if carefully removed, you can actually play the glue disk. Of course, use something like one of those little Fisher Price, childrens' record players for this-Not a real TT.

LMAO.
Please do tell us how the hell a negative of a record will play anything.

If you had the slightest knowledge how a record is made, you'd know how asinine your comment sounds.

 

[AnzacSonata]

Thanks Bill and Condor.

 

[Thomas_AA]

Use warm water with "2 in 1" balsamschampoo and a sponge, clean well along the grooves, rinse well with warm water and dry with a microfibre cloth. Do a second round on the TT using distilled water and 2-1 shampoo (use less), use vacuum such as this. A house-hold vac and a Benny nose aspirator.