To clean or not to clean...

I took some records out last night and played them. At the end of the evening as the system was powered down the records were a little bit dirtier, the heat death of the universe a little bit closer.

The problem with cleaning, we're talking about records here. Record cleaning is the classic Murphy's Law work expands to fill the time available for completion. So first we scour the interwebs for cleaners. Then we scour the interwebs for advice on how to use the cleaners. Then we learn all the cleaners we bought are garbage, throw em all out, start all over again. Then we get set up and, oh darn what was the order again? So back to the interwebs by which time new authorities have arisen with new advice and so clear the counter fill the recycle bin start all over again. Eventually at some point after having spent 5X what you have in records on cleaners you never got to use it dawns on you the time available to complete this work is the heat death of the universe. Fortunately they never really need to be cleaned at all. But this usually dawns on you some time around a week after you already signed the DNR.

Clean. Or not. Either way is fine. Main thing in order to establish your audiophile credibility is to obsess over it to the point of spending more time worrying and posting about your worries and reading about everyone else's than it would take to clean the damn thing and be done with it.