Keeping vinyl records clean is an absolute must to be able to play them and listen to music with the best possible sound quality. Apart from buying specific products for cleaning records, we can also make these products at home, using the normal cleaning products we usually have around the house.
The most important thing at all times is gentle cleaning, and to make sure we use mild products that will not damage our records. Microfibre dusters will be our main ally. We recommend using two, one to apply the product to, and the other to dry the record afterwards.
We should use a mixture of distilled water and isopropyl alcohol to clean our records, although if we do not have this type of alcohol at hand, which is 99% pure, we can use 96º alcohol. You can mix it in any receptacle of your choice, although using a spray bottle is recommended. You should use a mixture containing two parts distilled water and one part alcohol.
After preparing the mixture, we should apply a small amount to the duster and wipe the record following the direction of the grooves, making sure to be very gentle. It is best to repeat the process rather than wetting the record too much with an excessive amount of the mixture. We should take special care on the label in the middle, since it can come unstuck if we wet it. When all the surface and grooves are clean, take the other dry duster and wipe it over the record, also following the direction of the grooves to make sure it is completely dry before putting it back in its sleeve.
If the record you are going to clean is in poor condition, with a lot of deep dirt on the surface, we should apply the 96º alcohol directly to the record, but only a small amount. Then leave it to dry for around 3 minutes. Wipe it afterwards following the direction of the grooves, applying a little pressure with a dry dusting cloth, but making sure not to bend it. This will help dissolve the ingrained dirt.
Extra tip! Before putting a record away after playing it, wipe it with a microfibre cloth to get rid of any dust that may have gathered in the grooves while it was playing.
Keep your vinyl records in good condition - you never know when you might want to listen to that song that still sends shivers down your spine.
