Steam cleaning records 2

The vortex tube didn't work for me. You get it setup for one record thickness and then it doesn't work for others.

I do use the two o-rings though, but I'm not steaming anymore - I'm using the Walker 4 step.

Joprras : The perceived loss of highs could be the result of "dirt" clinging to the record surface, "dirty" steam , improper steam cleaning methods or most likely records that need additional cleaning. Rarely, I have cleaned a Lp where gunk clinged to the grove requiring further steaming. This does not happened often but can happen.

As for the posting regarding a 6 hour difference between plays , I recall several articles in the late '70-80's in "Stereophile" that claimed recently cleaned or played LPs require a "rest" period of 2 hours or so for the vinyl grove to re-shape to pre-playing/cleaning condition. So, it not as if the phenom has not been remarked in print.

If you have played the same tracks repeatedly in a short period of time, then the highs are the first to go.

Just experiment with a record/track you do not care for.

FYI : Two months ago a steaming unit I was operating malfuctioned. The metal heating tank ruptured sending water & steam everywhere : Besides my surprize no actual harm done. I located a small appliance store that offered free estimates , dropping the steam unit off.Yesterday, I got a call that metal heating tank costs $220.00 , before installation ($50). The whole house cleaning system cost less than $100 ! Lesson learned , sometimes these steamers fail and are not worth the cost of repair.

Can somebody show me a link to how to use Perfection Steam cleaner to clean records?
Perfection Steam cleaner - does it refer to Perfection Deluxe Travel Iron with Fabric Steamer? I have no clue how to use steamer/iron to clean LPs.
Thanks.

Ihcho: Does this help? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6OjtKUZ048

Thanks, yes it helps.

When blasting a layer of steam vapour, how wet should you make the LP? I just bought a steamer and put an LP on my lazy susan style platter and used it to spin the LP as I spray the vapour but I m not sure how wet should I make it and how long should I leave the water on the surface before wiping with a micrio fibre cloth.

Thanks in advance

Well I have been playing around with my steamer setup and a finding a general level of it working. Albums I have cleaned are sounding a little quieter, most are used and steam cleaning does not repair groove damage but dirt and dust can be alleviated.

The technique I have adopted for now goes like this.

1: On a terry cloth bath towel I lay the album down. I take a dessert dish and cover the centre label.

2: I take my home made cleaning fluid, about 80% distilled water, 20% of 99% pure alcohol and a drop of Ivory snow in a spray bottle. I wet the album and have a dedicated 2.5 inch wide paint brush to push and lightly scrub in the direction of the grooves the liquid.

3: I take a dedicated micro fibre cloth to wipe the solution up.

4: I take my steamer and in smooth circular motions at about 4 inches above the album spray a blast of vapour evenly as I can to cover the album.

5: I let is sit for about 10 seconds then with another micro fibre cloth wipe in in circular motions until the album is dry. I then repeat the process for a second time. I dry the album side as best I can then flip it over and do it all again on side B.

6: I let the album sit on its edge so that both sides can air dry a bit more for about 15 minutes before I put it back into its sleeve and jacket.

7: Prior to playback I run my carbon fibre brush grounding it wit my body to help give the LP a quick wipe and a bit of a cut in static. I ned to get me a ZEROSTAT.

My first few LP's have come out quieter for the most part. I can do about 10-12 LP's in a 1/2 hour or so.

I tried a home use garment steamer to clean my records.
I set up a record in vertical position and spayed the steam evenly at 4~6 inch distance for about 10 seconds (circling 4 times). And then wiped off the moisture with a micro fiber cloth.
I tried about 10 records that I don't care much (but in still in VG condition). I used filtered water (not distilled water). After steam cleaning, all records played with lesser noise, but some thin records got warped a little bit.
I guess I need to be more cautious about applying steam on very thin records.

Walgreens "Perfection" RIP?

It's no longer available, I could not find one in NYC in September, I'm going to have some time to play over Christmas so I thought I'd pick one up, are there any other suggestions? K-Mart maybe?

Gregg

Just picked one up tonight at Walgreens. They had several. Glad to get you one if you can't get one local or online.

Thank you Vetterone, I appreciate your offer. I'll call around in NYC. You may get an email.

Gregg

I noticed that when I used a steamer (in my case it is Perfection ) on LPs, I got a bit of burning vinyl smell. My steamer's noozle was about 4 inches away from LPs.
anyone notice that?

Hello,

I just registered for the express purpose of asking what brand/model is considered the #2 choice behind the Perfection steamer, which is no longer available? I apparently discovered this thread a month or so too late...

I just bought a $40 1000W Shark hand-held from Target on-line. It works great, does not run out of steam, and appears to be well-built.

Thanks. On my way home today I stopped at yet another Walgreens and found that they are now carrying a steamer under a new name, "Living Solutions". Is it any good? Well, I intend to find out since I just bought one. I have a few more things to gather up before I attempt to cook my first LP. Stay tuned.

One other question/thought:

Has there been a history of flame wars in this forum? The requirement for every post to be reviewed and approved by a moderator (and the subsequent, lengthy delay involved) seems like an arrangement best suited to misbehaving children, not responsible, reasonable adults.

To be honest the answer is yes. But don't let that dissuade you from using steam to clean your records. However, it could also be that you are new and the moderators don't "know" you yet.

NOTE: I attempted to post this yesterday and was informed that I am restricted to a 750 word limit. I then posted a truncated version (three words) which apparently failed to amuse the moderator. So here, once more, is the full version. If it cuts of mid-sentence, so be it.

Here are my first impressions of steam cleaning with the steamer currently sold by Walgeens. Remember that I have nothing to compare the steamer's performance to except the videos I've seen and testimonials I've read.

First, the steamer: Walgreens Living Solutions, item #W14A8006

The steamer holds 220ml of water, which doesn't go very far (at least using it the way I did). Using the angled attachment and starting with the grooves nearest the label, I held the steamer about 3-4 inches above the record and moved in an expanding circular pattern. I could make about 2 laps around the LP before the steam velocity decreased noticeably and the Not Ready light came on. As I moved farther out, with the diameter becoming progressively larger, I found that I could not make one complete lap before having to wait for the steamer to catch up.

Evaluation
I am disappointed with the performance of this unit and suspect that it is sub-par when compared with steamers used by others.

Cleaning Results
I started on albums that I owned in high school (graduated in '72) which had be previously played to death on one of those ubiquitous BSR turntables with the tonearm that held that little "needle" that you flipped over to play 78s. On these specimens, no miracles were observed. Once I was sure I could do this operation without melting the vinyl, I moved on to records with a better history of care and found that surface noise was in fact reduced, sometimes dramatically. I should point out that my process consisted of

1. using 1 dedicated micro fiber cloth for pre-cleaning
2. steaming
3. using 2 more micro fibers to blot up the water and wipe dry.*

Conclusion
I think that steaming holds promise, provided the right equipment and techniques are used (thanks to the pioneering efforts of many others, I don't have to re-invent the wheel). With the addition of a cleaning solution to pre clean (paired with a VIP or DD brush), a better steamer and perhaps a vacuuming of the surface with a homemade attachment to finish up, I should get more consistent results and a sparkling clean record collection.

*the micro fiber cloths I used, something made in China and purchased from Lowe's, proved to be a poor choice judging from the tumbleweeds that were wrapped around my stylus after playing about 4 album sides.

FWIW, the Shark hand-held with similar 8 oz. reservior provides uninterrupted steam for at least one minute-- after which I stopped trying. About 8-10 seconds does it with a RCM. I can see how without an RCM it would take longer.

Yeah, no RCM here although I'm scouring the thrift stores for an old TT. I think 1 minute of steam or so might get the job done it the record were turning. Also, I think I've located a store that sells some form of the Shark so I'll stop by tomorrow and see what they have.

Thanks for posting.

just got my Shark Steamer. Could someone please tell me how these are suppose to work. It doesn't blow continuous steam- a lot of air. I don't think this is right. When I hold it upside down though I get a lot of steam. I might have a defect?

If it's not working after 5-10 minutes of warm-up, then assuming you used the supplied beaker to measure the correct 8oz of water, did not overfill the resevoir(if overfilled it will blow out a column of water), and screwed down the top tightly, then it must be defective.

Readers: For those interested in steam cleaning , keep in mind that the method(s) , mechanics , materials , water and much , much more has been previously outlined in the now discontinued initial steam cleaning thread.

I have reclused myself from this thread. I am continuing research regarding record cleaning that I intend to publish in the future.

For Those New to Steaming : Not all steam cleaning units perform as well as others, and garmet units I have warned may actually warp a record. There are rational reasons for following a certian method , the use of record cleaning fluids ,as well as, other record cleaning machines , even the use of microcloth A over microcloth B . Anyone that believes that any steamer will do , any materal or methods is ok could find themselves in trouble.

As mentioned many times in the past thread , I follow a method and use products out of years of experience that produce positive results. For those that accepted the suggestions their learning curve was reduced and they reported excellent results.

As for the "vinyl smell" I was flamed to death over my concern(s) regarding mold release compounds and potential lead issues. Again, as was outlined in the past thread I don't recommend using the attachments , unless, they have been deep cleaned to remove those compounds that cause the smell ; the reasons are already outlined in the past thread.

I wish everyone well. When I have a book you will be the first to know. For those that want advice, contact me by email. I will respond as time permits.

Again my recommendation, read the former thread, lots of FYI buried there.

Thanks Crem, your unselfish sharing of your experiences led me to try what would have been unimaginable (to me, anyway) only a few short weeks ago.

I lament the passing of the Perfection steamer, but I am going to give Walgreens new offering (Living Solutions) another shot. I think I was moving around the record much too slowly on my first attempts. After watching the YouTube video and rereading these threads, I am sure I need to modify my method.

FWIW, I tried a Shark "steam bottle" and have mixed emotions about it. It's designed with a trigger pump, not unlike a Windex bottle. You squeeze the trigger a few times to start the steam rolling. Then, you have to keep squeezing the trigger at certain intervals to keep the steam flowing. Too few pumps and the steam stops; too many and it starts spitting. Overall, even though the steam output seems better than the Walgreens unit, I can't help but wonder how long that trigger pump will last... I've had spray bottles wear out relatively quickly. Another thing I don't care for is that the filler cap is on the *bottom* of the unit. But, if you aren't bothered by either of those factors, the heating element is rated at 1500w and it only needs to heat up for about a minute. And, as I said, the steam output is pretty good.

I may try another steamer or two, using the Walgreens steamer as the control or baseline model. If I find something better, I'll let you all know.

I actually got the Shark 1000W cleaner at Target's website, and it works great. I saw the steam bottle, but didn't think it would do the job.

To distinguish between Shark models, note that the 1000W Shark that provides continuous steam without pumping the trigger is called Supersteamer Model SC710S.

The Shark is on my short list, Jahnewnoise (the real one, not the bottle). Also of interest is a McCulloch unit

http://tinyurl.com/7zv3ol

I'm hopeful a winner will emerge from those choices.

The Perfection steamer appears to still be widely available at Walgreens thoughout the Des Moines Iowa area, albeit at a cost of $29.99. I bought an extra as a backup today to have on hand. If anyone is interested in this steamer and honestly can't find one anywhere send me an email. I can arrange to ship one to you this week. Just send me $29.00 and maybe a little extra for shipping. Maybe this Shark is better, I don't know.

I just bought a Shark today. I plan to compare it to the "new" Walgreens steamer tomorrow. Just from a cursory once-over, I'm thinking they both came from the same factory in China. We'll see what happens at the face-off...

Depending on how things turn out, I may take you up on your offer to ship, SOJ (hope you don't mind the abbreviation). You may have access to some of the last of the Perfection line. According to Walgreens website, the item has been deactivated.

Sonofjim i did a search earlier today for Perfection steamers. Walgreens.com has them listed not available at this time. I like using Perfection as i am not familiar with Shark. I have logged many hours on my Perfection with out any problems but i think i will be sending you a check for 29.00 for a backup. Send me a PM with your address will add cash for shipping many thanks. Mike

OK, here's a mini review of the new Walgreens Living Solutions steamer vs. the Shark Hard Surface Steam Cleaner.

Physically, the steamers are very similar, leading me to conclude that they were either built in the same factory or factory A stole the plans from factory B. Hey, it could happen. Anyway, from external appearances and features, the Walgreens (WG henceforth) unit is a bit better built. It has a torque limiting filler cap, the Shark does not. The o-ring on the WG cap is Viton, which is chemical and heat resistant. All o-rings on the Shark are standard issue. The WG's attachment point on the basic, straight cone shaped nozzle (where the elbow attachment would slip on) has double o-rings (not Viton); the Shark has only one. On the other hand, the Shark's heating element is rated at 1000W, the WG at 900W. The power light doubles as a ready light on the WG, turning off when operating temperature is reached. The Shark light is always on. The WG has a 2 year warranty, the Shark 1 year.

The Shark's accessories are made of gray plastic, the WG accessories are black. The difference goes deeper than the color. In the original steamer thread, some concern was raised about the burning vinyl smell emitted by the Perfection steamer, and some troubling worries about lead were voiced. The WG unit's attachments emited a distinct odor, which I describe as a burning tire smell. The Shark's accessories emitted no detectable odor, or at least none that could override the smell from the WG. I was using them side-by-side, but I held each cone attachment up to my nose after the second run and there was nothing offensive given off by the Shark. If there are any lead warnings on either unit, they are not prominent. I have not examined every word of the manuals nor every inch of the units, however.

Now on to performance. Both units were filled with approx. 200ml of water and allowed to warm up for 10 minutes. The WG light turned off well before then, but Crem says he lets his steamer warm up quite a bit, so I decided to do the same. Holding one steamer in each hand with no attachments of any sort, I depressed the triggers simultaneously and aimed into the double kitchen sink. The Shark produced a greater volume of steam and the duration of usable steam lasted 2-3 seconds longer than the WG, using the count-it-off-in-my-head timing method. Attaching the straight cone, or "concentrator", (the design of which makes either attachment fit either steamer) the test was repeated. Again, the apparent volume of steam from the Shark was greater and it seemed more consistent with less spitting. Steam "on" time was again slightly in favor of the Shark. Attaching the elbow and repeating the test yielded essentially the same results.

Note that no actual cleaning was done in these tests, and the steamers weren't used until the water was exhausted, so cleaning time is unresolved. I did hold my hand about 1 foot away from each unit as it was in operation and there is no danger of scalding at that distance. One did not seem to be any hotter than the other.

I don't know if anyone will find this exercise useful, but as for me, I think I'll keep the Shark.

Errata:

Both units are rated at 1000W.
The Shark has the Viton o-ring on the filler cap, not the WG.
The WG is UL listed

I think that concludes my list of screw-ups and omissions.

Those both sound like viable options. For now I've stuck with the Perfection due to it's history of success and my own familiarity with it. Let me know if you need one. For now they are still available around here.

Many thanks Sonofjim for your kind offer i cant thank you enough.

I guess in the end as long as you get those lps steam cleaned with a steamer that can deliver a good spray to the lp surface you should get the results needed for super clean quite playing lps.

Thanks Ho72 for the fine review.

can anyone recommand where I can get quality micro-fiber cloth used in cleaning LPs?

Target had many to choose from.

Try the auto supply section at Walmart. They have a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.

Speaking of which...

After having some really bad lint issues with microfiber cloths I bought at Lowes, I've been on the lookout for something else. So, I was in Walmart on Sunday and I found this

https://www.cleantools.net/WebSite/productDesc.aspx?pid=3

It's called the Absorber and it's a synthetic chamois. I bought one and used it when I steamed about a dozen records this morning. I used one side for the initial steaming and the other side for the finish steaming. It works very well at picking up moisture and is about as lint free as anything could be.

Anyone ever tried this product? Any potential downside?

thanks for the info re micro-fiber cloths. could you tell us at what section in Target it is in?

I found mine in the auto section.

I have to thank the members on this thread. Thanks especially to Creml and Stltrains. Why? Cause steam cleaning records it the greatest thing since sliced bread.

When I started reading, thinking, "What a foolish notion, steam cleaning records." Well, color me foolish. The more I read the more I wanted to try it. So, I bought the Shark cleaner, and went to town. Cleaned dirty used records, cleaned new records, cleaned clean records already sucked by my VPI 16.5. The combo of the 16.5 and steam is genius.

The sound? Records I'd listened to many times (That were already cleaned!) took on a new life. Lower lows, more defined highs. Just more there there.

If you haven't already, spend the dough and do it. You're gonna love it.

Thanks again!

Rada i had a very respected audiophile tell me if you dont get off your butt and try something you will never know what could have been good or bad. At around 8 minutes a lp time can be a factor in the end though because what you experienced in sound like most others i have been going through my collection and steaming all of my vinyl.

Yesterday i cleaned 20 lps and half were from my collection. The difference for better sound is beyond what i ever thought possible. Spirit 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus sounds like a veil was lifted from my speakers. The Radiators Law of the Fish a very fine recorded and produced lp puts the band in the room with you. Same goes for Eagles One of these Nights. All cleaned by other than steaming. I will say this using lab grade water as a double rinse also IMO contributes to increased resolution.

Thanks for the kind words.

Wondering if anyone's taken a look at the McCullouch MC1235 handheld steamer. Here's a link for reference. Continuous fill seems like a nice feature.

http://www.sewingmachineoutlet.com/mc1235.htm

I've already returned one DOA Shark back to Target.

R3w200 : It appears you have found not just a replacement but a upgrade to most other steam cleaners. I believe the variable steam control could bring LP steam cleaning to a new level , the continious refil of water is another bonus. R3w200, you may be on to something. Now for some R&D, namely buying a unit and putting it thru the drill.

I referenced the McCulloch in my post on 1-15-09 as a possible contender. FWIW, Home Depot has them for less. I am also interested in how this unit performs.

Do your duty, R3w2000, go get one of those suckers and tell us about it!

I picked up the "Living Solutions" steamer at WalGreens today. FWIW, the manager said it IS the Perfection with new packaging. Seems to work great, plenty of steam. I cleaned about 7 LP's before sitting to listen with no problems. Steam works great w/VPI 16.5. Thanks all for your post on this subject. Listening to a leaner ,cleaner "The Wall" right now!

Tvad-
No lead warning...