Stylus Cleaning Rituals

In addition to a standard stylus brush, I use a DS Audio ST-50 gel pad after every few sides, then every few days carefully with Lyra Stylus treatment, stylus only. No cantilever painting! I like the ST-50 cause it’s shallow and flat, and can just lower the cue lever and dip the stylus in the ST-50 while it’s on the platter. The cantilever never touches the gel, so all that fuss the Fremer (bogusly) started with his Onzow article doesn’t apply here.

I use a thin sliver of Magic Eraser and just barely touch the stylus before each side.

15 years on and no problems.  The stylus is spotless . I also US clean all albums I play and brush each side off  before playing

I sent a cartridge in to one of the rebuilders to have a look at it after a couple years of using it because I had bought it used and had untold hours on it. So figured it was time.

He said the stylus didn`t need replacing at all and that it looked very good.

Really appreciated his honesty.  

I use 3 different approaches:

1. anti-static stylus brush. I use this most frequently and is good to remove a gob of glop that is interfering with playback

After every 7 records or so:

2. Sandpaper: not real sandpaper, but emory paper designed for cleaning stylii;

3. Silly putty. I pull off a small hunk and gently press it up to the stylus 2-3 times. Being careful to just blot the stylus with it; don’t get it on the cantilever. Gets the glop off.

 

I do either the silly putty or the sandpaper every 7 records or so, not both

For years I've been using a handsome, elegant nine volt powered device called simply "Professional Electronic Stylus Cleaner" but when I google the name I come up empty. In any case, you guys have gotten me paranoid. It never seemed to harm my Grado or my Lyra Delos but should I shun using it on my new Hana ML?

I've been using the Flux Hifi Ultrasonic stylus cleaner for about a year now, with a Hana ML & a AT 150 mlx, with no problems to the units. Every 2nd or 3rd LP for me.

A long-time analog aficionado recommended NOT to use the ultrasonic cleaner on a higher end MC stylus because of the potential for vibrations to disrupt the cantilever, etc.  So I bought the Last Stylus cleaner and Stylast package. . . 

The instructions for the stylus cleaner are clear, but the instructions for Stylast are not so clear, as they say "Using the applicator brush built into the cap, gently apply the treatment to the stylus tip. One or two strokes, using a back to front motion, is sufficient. Never brush tip/cantilever assembly. Do not use any force or pressure on the stylus tip/cantilever assembly."

So, to clarify, brush only the tip of the stylus with the stylast, and be careful not to brush any other part of the needle/cantilever assembly? 

Has anyone tried the Flux Hifi Ultrasonic stylus cleaner? Looks like it’s sold on Music Direct for $150. Any advantages / warnings about using such a device?

Thanks.

 

Bar style carbon fiber brush after waving a Nagaoka Kilavolt #103 anti-static...'thing' (a cross of a small C cell flashlight that went cubist at the business end).

No comparison to a Z'stat..
Where a Z 'tickles', the Kvolt Bites.

Not made anymore, pity.  The circuit looks stone simple, and runs on one C cell nearly forever.  Mine must be 30+ years old....works every time.

After Each Play i give it a swipe, Any One ever use  Gruv Glide  on the record   i don't recommend this stuff  at all

Chakster,
Yes, I forget about the frequency sweep record!  I also use it about once every six months. 
Overall, I feel pretty good about my own regiment.  Lots of good replies on this thread!

Carbon fiber brush for vinyl before each play. Zerostat Gun rarely used, but it’s really nice against static.

Dry brush for stylus cleaning only when I see some dust on the tip. Sometimes Onzow.

Cardas "Frequency Sweep" LP for ultrasonic cleaning of the stylus once in a few month.

always have a good bright light stand that illuminate the stylus and look closer to eye level. it's surprising how much dirt can be in the records. it will known with experience which cleaning way is easier for that given time.

problem with Lyra solution and stuff like that it have too much sticky surfactant it can goop up dust if there is too much residue. and the dirt and residue slowly worked up the cantilever over time. and can even make the washi paper more dirty. 

thus use some distilled water after is even better


and yes this is tried on Lyra. in fact now  use 30% pure alcohol with distilled water only. it's better. instant clarity

I hope this helps the OP question.

Step 1.)  I clean the stylus with the stylus cleaning brush that came with my Lyra cartridge.  I also have a Discwasher Stylus Cleaning Brush since 1975 but it's fairly large and the Lyra is nice and small.  They both provide the same results though, so as long as you get a brush that is specific for stylus cleaning you can't go wrong.  Follow the directions that come with the brush.  These are stiff bristle brushes and are very different from a brush for use with a cleaning agent.  That said, I use the brush after every 2 sides of record play.  

Step 2.)  After every 6 to 8 sides played I use the Lyra SPT Stylus Cleaner.  A bottle comes with a very soft cleaning brush and that is what I use.  Though it is expensive ($60), it will last about 5 to 8 years, depending on how many records you play per week.  I play about 12 to 15 records per week and my bottle of Lyra SPT is about 25% used in about 1 3/4 years of use.

Following such a cleaning regimen is like keeping your tires balanced and rotated.  You will get the most life from them by doing so.  As well, you will get the most life out of your stylus by keeping it clean.  Record care/cleaning is another topic, but you asked about stylus cleaning so I remained specific to that.  I hope this helps you.

bluetak.
brush like artist brush.. dirt sometime micro hairs move above the stylus... 

once a while 30 percent alcohol solution if accidently goop up

most importantly a clean vinyl and carbon brush 

always work under a bright light so visibility is good

There are different methods on mounting styluses now. Many still use the old technique of pressing the stylus through a hole in the end of the cantilever. It is harder to hurt this kind of mount. Unfortunately, with many of the modern materials used for cantilevers you can't mount the stylus this way and you have to resort to mounting the stylus in a notch at the end of the cantilever with glue. Any glue can be weakened buy the right solvent. 
For just dust a dry artist brush works great and it is very hard to damage the cantilever with one although I am sure millercarbon will find a way. 
For more stubborn deposits a very weak solution (20%) of isopropyl alcohol is distilled water will work fine. NEVER use denatured alcohol in any concentration as it will melt epoxy. Lyra makes a great stylus cleaning solution (I was given a bottle) but it is silly money. 

After every side, using discwasher stylus brush, and when needed discwasher stylus fluid. The aforementioned products are the original versions. Sometimes I’ll use my vibrating stylus cleaner and fluid for stubborn gunk. Otherwise a few swipes with dry discwasher stylus brush. I always inspect stylus using a 10× Russian made jewelers Loupe.

Just a swipe with LP#9 between sides.  Never had any problems with  a dislodged stylus or anything migrating up the cantilever. 

"Stylast is supposed to extend stylus life x10."

Given the scale size of the forces operating between stylus and groove and the fact that the groove travels more than half a kilometer past the stylus for just one side, can the above statement be remotely credible?
Stylast is a good product but the claim is snake oil.

One or two "dips" on Onzow before each side. 

Every few sides I'll lower the stylus onto a DS Audio pad twice.  Every several albums or so I'll gently brush with the Lyra stylus cleaner, which is apparently not alcohol based (is enzyme based) so as to be gentle on any glue.  I'm not super anal about it.  This works for me.

The Thread has veered of  a little at times from the Op's inquiry.
This offering from myself has taken the same veer, but might be worthwhile to look into.
The link has a quite affordable device that is known to reduce Static on a LP.
Indirectly less dust collection will occur and hopefully lesser requirement to clean the Stylus. 

https://www.ronxs.com/product-page/ronxs-lighter-candle-lighter-with-multi-protect-safety-system-rec...

Lyra spt 1st before each side.
After each side Blu Tak on a coin as suggested by Soundsmith.
Once in a while Stylast Cleaner.
Check with a magnifying glass often, just can't see what's on stylus
without it. If there is something on it, one of those little black stiff brushes
or soft brush then Blu Tak. 

Lyra spt

Remember when Linn said to use sandpaper??

As King Arthur would say, "What do you mean? Wet or dry sandpaper?"  

https://youtu.be/VvSO5KEnaVE?t=177

Magic Eraser at the beginning of each session. Followed by a stiff stylus  brush then a soft brush. I use Zerostat if needed which I gauge with the hair on my forearm which is very static sensitive. Thereafter the stylus gets cleaned every other side using the same routine. No Last or Stylast. but all records are cleaned with Record Doctor using MFSL cleaners. Thereafter every album gets brushed before play
Just got a ultrasonic cleaner that I'm ready to use soon. 

To the "Last" users. Stylast, at least to my knowledge is not a stylus cleaner, it's a stylus preservative.  LAST makes a stylus cleaner in a similar bottle called LAST stylus cleaner which should be self explanatory. You should be careful with the preservative as too much application can migrate up the inside of a cantilever and gum up the coils in the cartridge ruining it. I had this happen to me many years ago with the preservative. I'm not saying "don't use it" just a tale of caution.

Mainly i use Onzow before each session and Zyx brush after each lp side. Very rarely i use Stylast stylus cleaner, two drops applied on its brush.
Audioquest Super conductive antistatic brush before every play and Walker Prelude cleaning system for lp cleaning.

Remember when Linn said to use sandpaper??

Slylast is supposed to extend stylus life x10.
I always use it. Almost ready to break into the second bottle from 30 years ago.
Since iLast Co. was founded in ’79 MC must have been a beta tester. My routine for my zerostat is occasional use for my burr coffee grinder. I use a Furutech destat for vinyl.
As far as stylus cleaning nowadaze just ’drop’ it on a magic sponge.

I clean all incoming records with 1) Last Power Cleaner, then 2) my VPI vacuum record cleaner and treat with Last Preservative. Typically I will listen to it once or twice before putting into my collection of over 2,000 albums. I listen to about one album a day. I listen to streaming most of the time so it is years between plays. Consequently I seldom do any cleaning of my stylus... maybe pull the dishwasher stylus brush towards myself a couple times every six or eight months.

.
I long ago threw away the Zerostat Guns, as I find it useless. For me, life is too short to waste time on avoidable nonsense. I saw a great electron microscopic video of a stylus following the grooves of an album. Looked as if the stuff collecting on the stylus was about an angstrom thick and would in no way impact the sound... and would fall off. I use the brush to get any hair or fuzz that may get caught.

@millercarbon, might you be willing to describe your Zerostat routine? Every source seems to say something different.

The Zerostat is nothing more than a piezoelectric crystal that generates an ion stream off of the pointy needle inside the end of the gun. Squeeze and ions stream, release and cations stream. The trick is to squeeze and release slow and gradual. If it clicks going either way you are going too fast. 

It is not a huge amount either way, and it is not very effective, nor does it last very long. To me it mostly is a ritual. Although occasionally some speck of dust is on there, the Zerostat will be enough to let you blow it off.

Anyway, I put the record on, clamp it down, start it spinning and then squeeze from outside to inside, release from inside to outside, done. Whole thing is maybe 5 seconds.  

Another one of these things people can obsess over, worrying about how it is used, when really it is dealing with static electricity. Something that changes from day to day and record to record and probably a lot of the time whatever benefit you got is erased by new charges being generated while the record is playing. Not something I would spend any time worrying about. Not even something I would buy, if I didn't already have one.

A friend has been through multiple methods and is a advocate of the use of Jewelry Putty.
         

I was using Stylast but after when I cleaned with Blu Tak there was
always a lot of black on the Blu Tak. I switched to the Lyra stuff &
now no black junk. 

I choose among the various stylus brushes that dwell on the turntable shelf. Normally, I’ll use either of my two stiff brushes. If there’s just a single hair festooned to the stylus I’ll brush it away with a slender, very gentle watercolor paint brush. If I truly hear grunginess as I listen I’ll juice my Professional Electronic Stylus Cleaner with a drop of Stylast System Formula 4, put the machine onto the platter, turn it on, lower the needle onto the machine with the tonearm cuing lever and let it buzz for a couple seconds.

@millercarbon, might you be willing to describe your Zerostat routine? Every source seems to say something different.

I'm using the same bottle of Stylast and the same Discwasher type stylus brush since the 1970's. Same Zerostat too. Most of my records are cleaned with Walker Enzyme 4Step. Every play they get Zerostat, and then after every side the stylus gets a quick swipe or two with the Stylast. Every few times I mix it up and use the brush instead. 

Some records I'm not so fussy, but generally give the stylus a swipe or two after every side. 

Will make a list ASAP!!