I thought I would give a short account of my experience with different cleaning fluids for record cleaning.
Please note, this is not an in-depth review or chemical analysis of any of the liquids used. This is just plainly an observation over time, cleaning many records. Nor is this a review of any cleaning method or cleaning procedure.
Where did I start? Having to clean on a budget, I started by rinsing the record under running water, then applying some dish washing liquid to the record. This was then lightly rubbed using a micro-fiber cloth, rinsed and dried with a cloth. Not always the best result and sometimes I noticed I caused some surface scuffing.
More reading and using guidelines formulated my own cleaning fluid using iso-propanol, wetting agent and distilled water. Apply with a cloth and dry afterwards. Effect: More consistent results in improvement in sound, but still static.
Got myself a Spinclean. Used the supplied liquid vs. my liquid. Cleaning worked well, I did cut my finger once or twice after cleaning a couple of records due to some records edges being razor sharp. Burns like hell. The consistent pressure from the brushes resulted in very nice cleaning. I was concerned that due to some records being quite a bit thicker than others, the brush pressure may get too much and could scuff when inserting record between the brushes, but it posed no problem.
Earlier this year I was offered a Clearaudio Smart Matrix RCM. Manual application with auto vacuum.
At this stage I decided to follow manufacturers instruction to always used professional and approved fluids, to a degree. I mixed up a fresh batch of DIY liquid with some changes in formulation. Got the Clearaudio Pure Groove cleaning fluid, ordered some Croak Audio Fluid (with which I also kindly received a sample of Revita Cleaning and Anti-static fluid).
I then decided to start selling some of my impulse purchases and any records I have not listened to in the last year or so. So the cleaning started with listening in order to grade etc.
This gave me the perfect oppertunity to evaluate the different liquids I had. First observation was that the fluids had different evaporation times, which played a role in how long the application with the Pure Groove brush lasted. Pure Groove evaporated the quickest, followed by Revita, Croak and DIY. All the cleaning led me to a Rolling Stones album, cleaned with Croak, on playback I was not happy with the static on the record (used a carbon brush before playback). Took the record off and gave it a shot of Revita. Huge improvement. Now, I know, it could well just have been the record needed a second round of cleaning with the Croak and it would have sounded much improved. And you are right, that was my first reaction. Then I started playing around with some of the records.
Some I cleaned twice using Pure Groove, some once then followed with Revita or Croak etc etc, you get the idea.
So, I ordered a 1L of Revita. When it arrived I continued cleaning the other 100 or so records over the last 8 or so weeks.
My personal findings:
All the fluids get the records clean from dirt, dust etc
None of the fluids stand out in removing fingerprints from the surface of the record.
When using the same volume of fluid (I use a syringe to apply the fluid to the record), using the same amount of rotation under brush application and the same amount of rotation under vacuum, the Revita fluid does result in a ?cleaner? sounding record.
So, at the end of this ?short? writing, will I stop using my DIY?. No, it is cost effective in a pre-clean for very old or long time stored records, followed by a cleaning with one of the other fluids.
Do I have a preference between the other fluids? Not really. For brand new purchases I do a quick clean with the Pure Groove Fluid, due to fast evaporation you can actually clean the record on the TT and play within seconds.
For my second hand purchases I use Croak (very affordable for the quality you get).
Revita I use whenever I listen to a record that has been cleaned and still sounds a bit scratchy.
And as a final note, I have bought a Metallica Master of Puppets brand new. Had a nasty couple of skips at the beginning of side 1. Washed it manually, still skips, have then put it through the Spinclean twice, still skips and I was about to toss the record last week. Decided to try the Smart Matrix and what do you know, there must have been a stubborn bit of grime that needed some good vacuum to release.
Please note, this is not an in-depth review or chemical analysis of any of the liquids used. This is just plainly an observation over time, cleaning many records. Nor is this a review of any cleaning method or cleaning procedure.
Where did I start? Having to clean on a budget, I started by rinsing the record under running water, then applying some dish washing liquid to the record. This was then lightly rubbed using a micro-fiber cloth, rinsed and dried with a cloth. Not always the best result and sometimes I noticed I caused some surface scuffing.
More reading and using guidelines formulated my own cleaning fluid using iso-propanol, wetting agent and distilled water. Apply with a cloth and dry afterwards. Effect: More consistent results in improvement in sound, but still static.
Got myself a Spinclean. Used the supplied liquid vs. my liquid. Cleaning worked well, I did cut my finger once or twice after cleaning a couple of records due to some records edges being razor sharp. Burns like hell. The consistent pressure from the brushes resulted in very nice cleaning. I was concerned that due to some records being quite a bit thicker than others, the brush pressure may get too much and could scuff when inserting record between the brushes, but it posed no problem.
Earlier this year I was offered a Clearaudio Smart Matrix RCM. Manual application with auto vacuum.
At this stage I decided to follow manufacturers instruction to always used professional and approved fluids, to a degree. I mixed up a fresh batch of DIY liquid with some changes in formulation. Got the Clearaudio Pure Groove cleaning fluid, ordered some Croak Audio Fluid (with which I also kindly received a sample of Revita Cleaning and Anti-static fluid).
I then decided to start selling some of my impulse purchases and any records I have not listened to in the last year or so. So the cleaning started with listening in order to grade etc.
This gave me the perfect oppertunity to evaluate the different liquids I had. First observation was that the fluids had different evaporation times, which played a role in how long the application with the Pure Groove brush lasted. Pure Groove evaporated the quickest, followed by Revita, Croak and DIY. All the cleaning led me to a Rolling Stones album, cleaned with Croak, on playback I was not happy with the static on the record (used a carbon brush before playback). Took the record off and gave it a shot of Revita. Huge improvement. Now, I know, it could well just have been the record needed a second round of cleaning with the Croak and it would have sounded much improved. And you are right, that was my first reaction. Then I started playing around with some of the records.
Some I cleaned twice using Pure Groove, some once then followed with Revita or Croak etc etc, you get the idea.
So, I ordered a 1L of Revita. When it arrived I continued cleaning the other 100 or so records over the last 8 or so weeks.
My personal findings:
All the fluids get the records clean from dirt, dust etc
None of the fluids stand out in removing fingerprints from the surface of the record.
When using the same volume of fluid (I use a syringe to apply the fluid to the record), using the same amount of rotation under brush application and the same amount of rotation under vacuum, the Revita fluid does result in a ?cleaner? sounding record.
So, at the end of this ?short? writing, will I stop using my DIY?. No, it is cost effective in a pre-clean for very old or long time stored records, followed by a cleaning with one of the other fluids.
Do I have a preference between the other fluids? Not really. For brand new purchases I do a quick clean with the Pure Groove Fluid, due to fast evaporation you can actually clean the record on the TT and play within seconds.
For my second hand purchases I use Croak (very affordable for the quality you get).
Revita I use whenever I listen to a record that has been cleaned and still sounds a bit scratchy.
And as a final note, I have bought a Metallica Master of Puppets brand new. Had a nasty couple of skips at the beginning of side 1. Washed it manually, still skips, have then put it through the Spinclean twice, still skips and I was about to toss the record last week. Decided to try the Smart Matrix and what do you know, there must have been a stubborn bit of grime that needed some good vacuum to release.
