Posted on 08/19/2020 5:31:47 PM PDT by Tacrolimus1mg
A friend of mine has a massive collection, I do mean huge, of vinyl records that has avoided being destroyed by flooding for quite some time despite being stored in a basement. However, we finally had a big one that really did a number on them, and I'm not sure if they're salvageable. A lot of them are valuable and some are even rare, so this is just a shame.
Does anyone have any tips on cleaning up vinyl (not bakelite) records and the best way to determine if they are beyond saving?
Anything would help. Thanks!
Elmers wood glue
Old cleaning method is lint-free cloth saturated in isopropyl alcohol. If they’re really dirty, add small amounts of white vinegar and/or dish soap.
Fixing dumb...Can’t be done.
I used to be an Album Rock DJ in the day. The only time we needed to clean LP’s was when someone got food on them. And that happened a lot. When it would be a while before we could get a replacement from the record company, we used warm liquid dish detergent & cleaned gently with a tooth brush following the directions of the grooves. Then lightly rinse & gently dry.
Of course, for collectors you just have to keep the center label dry.
It hardly ever failed & didn’t scratch the LP.
We didnt clean them till they skipped from crud in the grooves.
mayonnaise
Modern record cleaning is uses either water-based cleaning solutions with a vacuum record-cleaning machine, or an ultrasonic machine with distilled water. There are many record-cleaning machines offered - you can go look at what’s available from vendors like Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds.
If you have limited needs, you might be able to find a record store that cleans records for a fee using an expensive machine, such as the $4000 Audio Desk ultrasonic cleaner.
First thoughts: You have several problems. The album covers, the record labels, and the records themselves. There is a turntable/vacuum system that will clean the record and extract dirt from the grooves. These systems work very well. The other two areas involve paper conservation. The first step in that leg is a quantity of desiccant material or blotters to remove the moisture. It’s likely they are beyond redemption but whatever you can salvage or even digitize is useful.
I can’t speak to the value or rarity as I don’t know what albums are under discussion.
Put a nickel on top of the tone arm.
That’s an interesting method to be sure. I was wondering how the glue would be removed after it dried. 8>)
If the album covers and sleeves were under water, they are ruined. They aren’t worth anything, unless they are albums that you can’t find any copies of.
Should just peel off, I saw YouTube videos on it several years back, not sure if it works?
I think a very light cleaner like used to wash vegetables may be best, nothing abrasive or with heavy chemicals,
I still have it, but I think the fluid has long since evaporated. I think it's in my closet next to my Discwasher DMAG cassette head demagnetizer.
-PJ
Rubbing of any kind, dry or wet, will ruin them by grinding grit into the soft surface and scratching the vinyl ridges which produce the sounds. Don't do that!.
If the album cover is not salvageable, they’re essentially trash.
I don’t know all of them either, but I’ll be blunt: They’re all covered in mold because they sat in a basement that had flooded, and into which nobody descended into for a good while, leading the records to sit in soaking covers for a couple of weeks. At minimum.
He should have stored them in HIS home and not his parents’, because he doesn’t have a basement. They do.
We told him it was a bad idea, but no...
That fluid was nothing but alcohol. Same thing for cassettes.
I used to have a CD with a tiny little brush on it to clean the player. It also had various test sounds to help balance the system.
As far as value, without the covers they are probably not worth saving.
If you just want to have them to listen to. The warm water, soft toothbrush with a touch of Dawn works for me. I then rinse under lukewarm and pat dry with soft paper towels. You can actually place them in a regular dish drainer to dry.
Try not to get the labels wet. They will tend to crinkle a bit.
I’m more a 45 guy and I do this all the time because a lot of 45’s get stored without covers and end up with a thick layer of dust. They are easier to handle due to the smaller size and the large hole makes them easier to grip as well.
The album covers are a loss but the records can be easily cleaned with soap and water.
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