I clean / vacuum, apply Last preservative and play. I haven’t noticed any gunk on my stylist. I’ve never done a study. I’ve never noticed a correlation with better sound and when I have cleaned and not gotten to -laying the next day. But it would have to be a big difference for me to notice.
Wait time after record cleaning
Record cleaning has become a staple of every vinyl addicted audiophiles routine. Most cleaning methods use liquids, whether proprietary, DIY, or just plain water. These fluids are applied and are either vacuum removed, fan dried, towel dried, or allowed to evaporate. There is a ton of info regarding the different types of fluids and cleaning routines currently available to review. I cannot find any information on "when the record is optimized for playing" after cleaning. How long are people waiting after cleaning to actually play the record? I once read that it takes over 24 hours for all the moisture in the grooves to be completely absent following a wet clean, even if on gross visual inspection the vinyl surface appears totally dry. As a corollary, I have also read that the record sounds better if the record isn't played for 24 hours after cleaning. Distilled water, surfactant formulations, and water combined with isopropyl alcohol will all evaporate at a different rate. Is there any risk of vinyl damage if a small residuum of fluid remains in the groove when playing commences. Is there any science behind this, or is everyone just winging it? I typically sleeve all my freshly cleaned records and wait at least a day to play them, based on my previous reading, but am wondering if this is at all necessary.