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Vinyl cleaning and alcohol

Hej

What is the latest truth about alcohol being harmful or not harmful to vinyles?
I'v read that yiu should never use alcohol in the cleaning solution because of "this and that". I've never read anyone saying; "I've destroyed all my vinyls due to alcohol in the cleaning solution". On the other hand I have read several posts saying that they have been using alcohol for 5, 10 even 20 years without hearing any degeneration of the vinyles.

I got worried after have been cleaning all my best old vinyles with Okki Nokki cleaning fluid, so I searched the net for facts. I found hypotheses why alcohol is harmful and statements that it's not.

So what is the truth? 
simna

Showing 2 responses by lewm

lewm
13,580 posts
 
I also advocate a distilled water rinse after cleaning with my own mixture of isopropanol, non-ionic detergent, and water.  Otherwise, I do believe the detergent can leave a residue.  I heard an improvement when I added the pure water rinse step.  Moreover, you get a bit more crap out of the grooves along with the residual detergent.  I can see the results in the effluent from my VPI HW17.
lewm
13,580 posts
 
I remember some of those threads.  It turned out that some guys actually use undiluted alcohols. I'm not sure I would recommend that or do it myself. I have always used a solution that is about 10% pure ethanol, laboratory grade, not drug store bought. The best you can get is 98% pure, I think. As you probably know, "rubbing alcohol" is a definite no-no, because of additives.  Given my own 10% solution (plus distilled deionized water plus a few drops of non-ionic detergent), I have had no discernible problems with alcohol.  But there is sure to be someone who says it is a bad idea.  Let's also argue about ultrasonic machines and damage those might do.
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