Warning, this can damage labels, ruin laquer discs and otherwise sterilize you. For vinyl only, and use a less sloppy method for rare discs.


Picked up a second copy of one of the best soundtracks of all time a few days ago at a rummage shop. Way way lucky find, as the "A Man and a Woman" soundtrack is a cult classic, with CDs from Japan costing $100. :shock: Anyway, the condition was perfect but had a TON of surface noise and crackly sybilants. Dirt! Often mold residue or nicotine on these 40 y/o discs. So I did Maxs standard thrift shop LP clean:

Fold a bath towel to be used as working surface. Place record on surface, drizzle with 40% isopropyl alcohol and a few drops of a wetting agent like dish soap. Clean with a soft  2" paintbrush, going  with the grooves. Take your time. Rinse with water, avoiding the label, and dry with another towel or washcloth with the grooves.

90% reduction in surface noise!

A lot of the retail cleaning solutions on sale actually harm the vinyls, a bit of DIY is not such a bad suggestion provided you are careful and use the right solution for the job.

That and take good care of your babies in the first place

/me hugs his metal vinyl box and silica gel.

Basic soap and wetting agent is pretty benign stuff. Its pretty much what most pro DJs Ive known have used a variant of, but usually with a record vacuuming machine. Id rather use it than some mystery stoff in a bottle.