What detergent

Ok, I know there are a few posts on vinyl cleaning. I'm not asking too much, but I've just got my hands on some isopropyl alcohol. Looking at TNT's website, I'll do 1:4 IPA to water. Then add a couple of drops of detergent.
There may be varying opinions about this, but what detergents shall I use? I've heard some eat the vinyl, and some leave a residue? What about washing up liquid (fairy etc.)? Is it better to just leave the detergent out?
Oh and machines may be much better, but are not an option right now.

 

Too much isopropyl there. I make mine up with 1:10 with 1 drop of washing up liquid. The washing up liquid is not to act as a detergent but as a wetting agent.

 

right, thanks. I'll give it a try

 

Dont play vinyl but do be careful. I would use whats recommended as washing up liquids can leave residues behind and will need to be washed well. A thougher dusting before with a proper cloth too. Jim.

 

What's a proper cloth then?

 

In the seventies a long time i know i used a proper vinyl cloth about 100mm x 50mm approx. It was made up with fibre's similar to velvet. I think you started from the middle of the record to the outer edge while the turntable was turning.

Surprising how much dust it collected.

Someone on here must have used them. Jim.

 

Oh those things that ground the dirt into the record!

 

I used to run them under the tap with a dab of washing up liquid. Always did a great job.

 

ok, so gave 1:10 IPA to water (filtered and boiled - then cooled of course). Then a brush down with a carbon fibre brish. Helped a lot, but still not perfect. Will give it another more thourough try

 

I've found L'Art du Son cleaning solution to be very good at getting the crap out of record grooves. Not the cheapest option available, but it is a quality one.

Stuart.

 

That’s a really weak mix IMHO – I do 1:4 and a drop or two of green Fairy Liquid. Works a treat.

Tony.

 

There is something much better to use than washing up liquid -
(which has very large quantities of salt in it).

From either on-line or from a photography shop get yourself some 'wetting' agent. (Jessops should have it). This is what we use on film (yup - not pixels!) to get it to dry without water marks after putting it through the developing process. If I remember correctly it was made by numerous companies but Patterson was the one I used. A small bottle would last forever as such small quantities are used.

Hope that helps.

 

I use this:

http://covers33.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=423

...although it's probably not a cheap way of doing things, it is convenient and seems to work (when used with lint free cloth). Other than that I've done the same as garyi: warm water from tap with a suggestion of washing up liquid, seems to work.

 

Don't use tap water, use distilled.

 

I think folk make to much drama about the amount of salt on detergents like Fairy liquid. The amount of salt disolved in a litre of homebrew record cleaning fluid made up with Distilled water, IPA and a drop or two of mild green fairy liquid will be negligable. In fact I probably get more salt on my records by living less than a mile away from the sea. I now use L'Art du Son record cleaning fluid, mostly because a little goes an vewry long way, one bottle will make up 5 litres of final strength fluid when mixed with Distilled, or filtered RO water.

I used the IPA/Water/ Fairy solution for years. Not only does it clean the records to an almost forensically clean degree, but they stay static free for many Playings/weeks and i've not noticed any ill effects on records so cleaned.

 

You could always try 80 grit sandpaper that should do the trick. Jim.

 

You'd never catch me putting IPA on my records. Which brewery did you prefer? Marstons? . Bet the Fairy liquid gave it a good head.

Edit: Sorry, that was shit joke (or attempt at). I blame my kids for leaving such a large glass of whiskey out for Santa, hope he doesn't really exist or he's gonna be mad at me for drinking it.

 

Glad to hear Sid. Might get some of the wetting agent, spent a fair few hours in the dark room too, (beats the digitial stuff ). Also just bought a micro fibre dish cloth - have heard goods things about them. Haven't tried it yet but. Although it feels very nylony, any views on what this'll do with static?

 

I also prefer to use wetting agent (from Jessops) - very little of it - in a mix of IPA and dionised water. Works much better than the stuff they sell ready-made, that always leaves some kind of gunk on the record (nothing damaging I dont think, but avoids you having the stylus collect a ball of residue the size of a small moon!).

If you are feeling adventurous, I find that the best way to finish the clean process is to use a drill.

What I do is once I wash the record (Antistat machine) and rinse them in pure Dionised water (a second bath) I use the antistat record clamp in the drill and spin the record a good 30 secs to get rid of the water in the grooves, drying it better than anything else I've tried.

Works a treat, but make sure a) you tighten the disk to the drill VERY WELL (it is a heck of a danger if it gets lose!) and b) do it in the bathroom if you want to keep the rest of the house dry...

Don't say I didn't warn you!!

Jack

 

Mad. Brilliant, but quite mad

Oh, and a very merry xmas/kwanza to everyone.