Scrubbing Bubbles Results

Noise, noise, gone away.

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Tried some of this on an old album that's about 30 yrs. old. It's condition can best be described as grungy. It also has scratches. Did the procedure and the album looked very clean when done. As expected, didn't do a thing for the scratches but the surface noise was noticeably lower. Really, a lot lower. I have some albums that are dirty but have very few scratches to try this on next. Looks promising.
 
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Tried some of this on an old album that's about 30 yrs. old. It's condition can best be described as grungy. It also has scratches. Did the procedure and the album looked very clean when done. As expected, didn't do a thing for the scratches but the surface noise was noticeably lower. Really, a lot lower. I have some albums that are dirty but have very few scratches to try this on next. Looks promising.

Scratches are permanent, there's nothing you can go about that. Yes, the SB sure gets rid of suface noise. Looking forward to your next cleanings. :thmbsp:
 
I'm using the aerosol spray version.

I noticed that the ingredients in the pump spray bottles and the aerosol cans are completely different, not judging either one. I wish Dow Chemical still owned SB, it sure worked better in the bathroom. It might have been surplus napalm or agent orange (j/k).
 
I noticed that the ingredients in the pump spray bottles and the aerosol cans are completely different, not judging either one.

I picked up an aerosol can of SB yesterday so I can compare results from both versions.
 
I wonder about SB and some of the posts I’ve read here. I think it’s a great idea that it indeed works as mentioned and that there are potentially no long term effects. I wonder though after reading the entry about leaving it on too long and ruining 2 songs. Too long was minutes of soaking not hours. In some cases there’s a chemical reaction and molecular re-composition of samples when introduced similar to spraying SB on vinyl. I do know it says it’s ok for vinyl but I wonder what the long term effect is going to be. This stuff is used in kitchens and baths….most are pretty worn out after a few years. In some cases it’s the GREAT chemicals we use to destroy the surfaces. I read the MSDS on SB and also read a bit about the individual ingredients but could not make a clear yes or no on the use. I just hope all of you peeps using it don’t wind up regretting it in a few years. You can’t remodel a record in 10 years. I would say use it on records that are hopeless but not on records that just pop due to static or something that can be removed with another method.
 
I wonder about SB and some of the posts I’ve read here. I think it’s a great idea that it indeed works as mentioned and that there are potentially no long term effects. I wonder though after reading the entry about leaving it on too long and ruining 2 songs. Too long was minutes of soaking not hours. In some cases there’s a chemical reaction and molecular re-composition of samples when introduced similar to spraying SB on vinyl. I do know it says it’s ok for vinyl but I wonder what the long term effect is going to be. This stuff is used in kitchens and baths….most are pretty worn out after a few years. In some cases it’s the GREAT chemicals we use to destroy the surfaces. I read the MSDS on SB and also read a bit about the individual ingredients but could not make a clear yes or no on the use. I just hope all of you peeps using it don’t wind up regretting it in a few years. You can’t remodel a record in 10 years. I would say use it on records that are hopeless but not on records that just pop due to static or something that can be removed with another method.

This occurred to me as well after hearing that leaving it on too long destroyed/dissolved some grooves. If "too long" is destructive, hard to say what a few minutes will do.

I did try it out on 3-4 records so far. One was a GW classicial record that looked fine, but had some static/noise throughout. That one wasn't helped much if at all, so must be groove damage.

Tried it on a couple of '50's-'60's jazz records that I had kind of given up on as being too noisy to enjoy. It seems to have done quite a good job on one of them, and I now consider some tracks playable. The other is marginal - improved somewhat after, but not in great physical condition to start with.

So I'm inclined also to try it on "if all else fails" records, but am still hesitant to try it on records that should be fine (bought new) but still seem to have some crackle/pops/noise after a vacuum cleaning. I'll probably try another vacuum cleaning, even wood glue, before breaking out the SB.
 
I have no real data, other than many happy sounding records.

Will it accelerate the breakdown? I personally think a decent rinse SHOULD negate it, but I'm no chemist.

All I know is that I'm grooving on records, and not having to wait 24 hours for glue to dry, which I've employed many times.
 
Well it's not like cleaning sugar granules with water I guess. I bought a bottle of SB but....I'm going to use it on records I don't care for, for now. Not sure if you ever heard of "dead cat bounce". Hope this isn't' the case here. :)
 
I dunno, wrbear. Seems some of the chemist guys here on AK might be able to help us with this problem.

And your sig always cracks me up.
 
I did a bit of research tonight and came across this:

"Adsorption complicates matters in the removal of RCF (record cleaning fluids) from the Vinyl surface. Whenever a liquid (RCF) comes into contact with a solid surface (Vinyl), a fraction of the liquid’s component, be it alcohol, water or surfactant, will “adsorb” onto specific sites on the solid surface via electrical attraction and/or hydrogen bonding. Even after the bulk of the liquid has been removed by vacuum, a small fraction of the water, alcohol, surfactant and other RCF additives will always remains on the Vinyl surface as an adsorbed film consisting of several layers of molecules usually less than a micron thick. How this adsorbed film affects the integrity and sound of the Vinyl has hardly been addressed by RCF manufacturers."

backs up the post of too long is too much.

so....I'm guessing that leaving the SB on for 5 minutes is overkill if it does indeed do the trick. It's a crap shoot. Wish we had solid evidence that even alcohol and distilled water was ok.

Yea undisputed champ against PC's...they fear me....although I'm nursing a sore foot....snort....
 
That is why I use 2 distilled rinse steps. I have not used SB on my vinyl.Just MoFi and Aivs. I do remember my college chemistry and the leaching of plasticsizers.
 
I picked this up off of the web....I'm suspect of the effects now...

8 cups distilled wtr
1 cup (1/2 bottle) 93% ALCOHOL
1 oz Lysol
15-20 drops Kodak photoflo

It's on the vinyl around 30 seconds.
 
Has anyone tried SB with a VPI 16.5 or similar machine? If so, were the results better than before?
Thanks
 
But doesn't alcohol craze vinyl?

Yes from what I've read. It's all pretty much confusing. Alcohol can effect vinyl if allowed to react which is a time factor the longer the more possibilities. I clean the album with diluted alcohol and use a micro fiber towel to dry it while spinning it on the lazy susan myself. It's pretty much dry in less than a minute. That might be to much too......dang......as I posted before...even the named brands can't prove their formulas don't effect vinyl.
 
Water is not going to hurt your vinyl records, as they are made of PVC like most all modern plumbing pipes. The difference is in the plasticizers used (phthalates) and these can be leached out since they are not covalently bonded to the polymer. The phthalates are soluble in alcohol so do not clean with it, unless in a dilute mixture. SB is pretty strong, so wash it off immediately. Your best bet for routine cleaning is a solution containing a mild detergent ( like 0.1% SDS or TritonX100), a chelator (like EDTA), and distilled water. Do not use photoflo as this will remain coated onto your vinyl.
Keep you records clean and dry as fungus degradation (typically Aspergillus sp,) has been documented. Either way, normal half life is about 150 years so enjoy you records now!
 
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Water is not going to hurt your vinyl records, as they are made of PVC like most all modern plumbing pipes. The difference is in the plasticizers used (phthalates) and these can be leached out since they are not covalently bonded to the polymer. The phthalates are soluble in alcohol so do not clean with it, unless in a dilute mixture. SB is pretty strong, so wash it off immediately. Your best bet for routine cleaning is a solution containing a mild detergent ( like 0.1% SDS or TritonX100), a chelator (like EDTA), and distilled water. Do not use photoflo as this will remain coated onto your vinyl.
Keep you records clean and dry as fungus degradation (typically Aspergillus sp,) has been documented.

Writing of fungus...another variable....cross contaminating can ruin a whole collection. How many peeps actually buy second hand vinyl? I would guess lot's. Where has that been and how clean is it? I'm debating on going back and collecting buttons or bottle tops....snort.....my collection will probably be at GW in 30 years or so...I just need that much good music time :)
 
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