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Best Record Cleaning Fluid

Greetings All,

I’ve spend the last few days searching and reading about record cleaning fluids for my cleaning machine (Okki Nikki).  Wow - there are a lot of options out there.  Many more than I originally thought.  Some real esoteric stuff that costs a pretty penny.  I’m currently going through my entire collection, cleaning it, listening to it and adding it to a Discogs DB.  Want to finally know how many I have and have a list of them.  But doing this has resulted in me going through cleaning fluid rather quickly.

So many options, so many perspectives on what are the best fluids.  What do you all say.  I understand that alcohol is a no-no for fluids, but I can’t find out if some of them include alcohol or not.  Currently using up the fluid that came with the machine, but no where can I read it if has bad ingredients.

The 2-stage or 3-stage cleaning systems are not going to happen.  I did get a bottle of Revolv that I was told was good, and use if for new high quality pressings (as opposed to those I bought in high school).

Anyway, would appreciate some perspectives on good quality record cleaning fluids that don’t bust the bank.  Thanks for keeping the sarcasm in check.

Happy Listening,

pgaulke60
113 responses Add your response
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cleeds
5,947 posts
 
mijostyn
cleeds I must be a genius ...
Ha ha.
Lets see how perceptive you are. Lets run an experiment. Get a big frying pan ...
Please feel free to run your own experiments. If you choose to do that, you’ll need to employ a "control" if you want it to be scientific, which you don’t mention in your little scheme. In any event, I don’t use alcohol to clean records. I’ve found it unnecessary.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,982 posts
 
mofimadness, I do not know what cleaning technique you use and it is probably more advanced than what I do but if you use a Spin Clean with L’ Art if you do not do a separate rinse cycle with distilled water the residue will gum up your stylus after just a few plays. I rarely have to clean a record so I am not about to spend a fortune on an elaborate cleaning machine so my experience with them is limited but perhaps a vacuum pick up might remove enough so this does not happen?
Understood. I use a VPI and do not rinse, but have never seen this before. So let’s add to my comment about the fluid used, to include, the method used also. Thanks.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
mofimadness, I do not know what cleaning technique you use and it is probably more advanced than what I do but if you use a Spin Clean with L' Art if you do not do a separate rinse cycle with distilled water the residue will gum up your stylus after just a few plays. I rarely have to clean a record so I am not about to spend a fortune on an elaborate cleaning machine so my experience with them is limited but perhaps a vacuum pick up might remove enough so this does not happen? 
cleeds I must be a genius as you keep following me around. Lets see how perceptive you are. Lets run an experiment. Get a big frying pan, bigger than 12" diameter. Fill it with 91% isopropyl  alcohol, put a record in it and cover it tight so the alcohol does not evaporate. Leave it in there for a week, dry it off then give it a play. Tell us what happens.
Correct. Nothing will entirely eliminate dust from the surface of an LP. Using a grounded sweep arm keeps the dust away from the stylus and shorts out the record so it does not collect static electricity and become a powerful dust magnet. I can't imagine why you can't learn to use one correctly. They are very simple devices. 
millercarbon, cheers!
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mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,982 posts
 
Sorry, I meant to add:  I've used enough of the "concentrates" to know that the number 1 factor, the top thing, the Big Kahuna, the most important part, is what you use to mix it with.

The purer the better.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
My favorite record cleaning fluid is Scuttlebutt Tripel 7. One bottle usually is enough to reveal those records were clean enough already, and sound better than ever. Just whatever you do be sure not to get any on your actual, you know, records.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,982 posts
 
I tried L'Art Du Son. It works but you have to rinse the record well of you will leave a residue making it a PITA.

Well, after almost 6 years of using this and after hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of records later, I have never had this problem?  My records are pristine without any residue and sound fine.

I use Audio Intelligent - Premium One-Step Formula #6
That Formula #6 is the one I am going to try next.
soundwatts
221 posts
 
I use  Audio Intelligent - Premium One-Step Formula #6
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cleeds
5,947 posts
 
mijostyn
Denatured alcohol is bad news on vinyl but Isopropyl is fine.
The matter of whether alcohol solvents are safe on LPs has been the subject of such debate for so long that I don’t think you can authoritatively state that "Isopropyl is fine." I’d be interested in any evidence you have to support the claim, though.

The question I ask is: What is the need for such a solvent? I use nothing but an ultrasonic RC machine and pure distilled water to clean records, and haven’t yet found any contamination that they can’t remove. And yes, I buy the occasional used LP.
If you use a dust cover, a grounded sweep arm and never smoke or cook around open records you will never have a problem.
I don’t care for grounded sweep arms - though I have used one in the past - but even they won’t eliminate dust from LPs.

The issue of whether to use a turntable dustcover while playing records is also subject to debate. In particular, I have seen a dustcover’s static charge completely lift a pickup arm off of the record! That makes me wonder if VTF can be affected even in the absence of such an extreme situation.

The only way a clean LP can remain completely dust-free is to keep it in a clean sleeve within its jacket. Once it’s taken out to be played, some amount of accumulated dust is inevitable.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Denatured alcohol is bad news on vinyl but Isopropyl is fine. I mix 75% distilled water to 25% 91% isopropyl. The alcohol increases the vapor pressure of the solution (drys faster). I tried  L'Art Du Son. It works but you have to rinse the record well of you will leave a residue making it a PITA. The real trick in having clean records is don't let them get dirty in the first place. The talk of records having some kind of residue from the factory is pure BS. If you use a dust cover, a grounded sweep arm and never smoke or cook around open records you will never have a problem. Buying used records is another problem altogether. Those I always clean first because you have no idea were they have been. It is always best to buy large estate sales. Larger collections have much less wear. You pick out the discs you like then sell the rest to Michael Fremer:)
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,982 posts
 
For the past several years, I have used L'Art Du Son.  Found it to be quite effective and provide excellent cleaning results.

Once I run out of this, I plan on trying the Audio Intelligent line of fluids.  I have heard great things about them.

I've tried many different brands and DIY fluid concoctions and these are the ones I like best.

YMMV
agrippa
160 posts
 
Alcohol is a no-no?  I've used 70% water / 30% isopropyl alcohol for 25 or so years with excellent results.  It doesn't get any cheaper and in my experience it doesn't get much better either.
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