Rhythm Exchange Records

Hello, fellow vinyl enthusiasts! There’s something that’s been bothering me a bit lately, the absolute obsession some new collectors have developed around cleaning their records. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for complacency or treating your records like they don’t matter, but for crying out sakes! Some of you are acting like you’re handling ancient papyrus scrolls from the Library of Alexandria!

The good old days (when records were just music)

Let me take you back through time and space to the 1980s when I first started collecting records. Back then, records were just… well, records, and they were how you listened to your favourite music.

Your choices were pretty simple: records or cassette tapes or maybe the radio (and let’s be honest, tapes were only as good as your equipment and were prone to failing, and the radio only played your favourite songs when the station dj wanted to).

For many, records weren’t looked at as the precious collectibles they are today. They were relatively cheap and readily available. Most of us grabbed our favourite LP, 10 or 7 inch, gave it a quick brush if we remembered, and slapped it on the turntable.

The world didn’t end. The stylus didn’t explode. We just enjoyed our music.

Sure, we cared about our records, but we didn’t treat them like they were made of butterfly wings and morning dew. A bit of dust? Quick brush. Visible dirt? Maybe a slightly damp cloth. Job done. Move on. Listen to music.

The modern vinyl anxiety epidemic

Fast forward to today, and new collectors are genuinely stressed about their records.

I’ve seen people spend more time researching cleaning methods than actually listening to their music!

There are entire forums dedicated to debates about whether you should clean with synthetic cleaning solutions or distilled water (spoiler alert: it doesn’t freaking matter!)

Here’s the thing, vinyl records are remarkably resilient, They were designed to be played, not displayed in a museum.

Trust me, I dabbled in DJing in my hey day. I had 12″ records that looked like a police forensics team had been at them, and they still played perfectly well.

I’m not saying to treat your records like Mix Master Mike. It’s really bad for your stylus to play dirty vinyl. The oil in your fingerprints can clog the grooves and collect on the needle.

My point is records do need care, but they’re not going to crumble at the first sign of a fingerprint.

My albums I brought back in 1985 have stood the test of time with limited cleaning.

Mostly because I was mindful of the fact they could be damaged, but I didn’t obsess over it and just treated them with a bit of respect rather than coveting them like a precious jewel.

For the record (pardon the pun), I’ve cleaned and restored all my old 90s 12″ Drum and Bass vinyl. Some of those labels are worth a bit of cash these days!

My no-nonsense cleaning approach

The reality is that after decades of collecting, I didn’t really care too much about wet cleaning my records. I did have a few mishaps over my time, but through trial and error, I didn’t  have that many issues with albums I owned from new. I only came across the benefits of wet cleaning when I started buying second-hand vinyl.

Also, a lot of modern vynil does often come with its fair share of static and dust from production, but I’ve always kept my methods simple:

A Spin Clean – This little beauty has been my go-to for a few years now and has replaced my old goto of a mix of distilled water, white vinegar, and a soft cloth. It’s effective, affordable, and doesn’t require a PhD in engineering to operate.

Simply fill it with distilled water and the cleaning solution, give your records a few gentle rotations, and Bob’s your uncle.

Sure, it takes a little more time but not as much as my previous method, and it’s just fine for what I need.

Yes, there are far more superior cleaning methods on the market, but I’m not made of money, and I’m only cleaning at best 4 or 5 records at a time.

A Good Quality Anti-Static Brush – Perfect for the quick pre-play brush that removes surface dust caused by static. I use this before every play, and it takes all of 10 seconds.

That’s it. No exotic cleaning solutions imported from the Swiss Alps. No brushes made from unicorn hair. No ritualistic cleaning ceremonies performed under a full moon.

I’ve watched some instagram reels of collectors doing this kind of cooky rigmarole as if there’s some unwritten law that you’ll be carted off to vinyl jail if you don’t perform these sacred rites before each play.

Look, I get it. There’s something beautifully tactile about the whole vinyl experience. The analogue medium does naturally inspire a bit of ritualistic behaviour. But honestly, I just can’t be arsed with all that theatrical nonsense. What really gets my goat is when vinyl collecting influencers perpetuate this kind of paranoia, making younger collectors think they’ll somehow be struck down by the vinyl gods if they don’t follow these elaborate cleaning commandments.

The dark side of over-cleaning

Here’s where things get interesting and where some collectors are actually causing more problems than they are solving in the name of cleanliness. I’ve seen people obsessively wet-clean their records before playing while they are on the turntable, not allowing them to dry properly, and then wondering why their expensive stylus is getting damaged.

Wet cleaning a record and not letting it dry completely can leave residual moisture in the grooves. When you drop that needle down, you’re essentially creating a mini hydroplane situation that can damage both your record and your stylus. Your $200 cartridge doesn’t appreciate being used as a squeegee!

Over cleaning can also cause damage to the groove walls over time. Think about it, if you’re constantly scrubbing away at the same grooves, eventually, you’re going to cause wear damage, also some alcohol based cleaning solutions will eventually break down the grooves by reacting with the vinyl.

It’s like brushing your teeth, necessary, but you wouldn’t do it 20 times a day.

Agreed, the spin clean I use is slightly  more aggressive than say a more expensive cleaning machine that only uses air or ultrasonic waves, but given the minimal amount of time I clean my records, there is little chance I will cause any lasting damage. Plus, spending $800 on a fancy machine that I use maybe once or twice a month could be better spent on some more records, am I right?

Storage: The real game changer

Want to know the secret to keeping your records in great condition? Correct storage is far more important than obsessive cleaning. I’ve covered this in detail in my previous blog post about proper vinyl storage techniques, but the basics are simple: store them vertically, keep them away from heat and direct sunlight, and invest in decent inner sleeves.

Good storage prevents 90% of the problems that excessive cleaning is trying to solve. It’s like the old saying about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure, except in this case, it’s more like a dollar of good storage being worth a hundred dollars of cleaning equipment.

Finding the sweet spot

Look, I’m not saying you should treat your records like they are indestructible (trust me they’re really not), but there’s a happy medium between neglect and OCD. Clean them when they need it most, not because the calendar says it’s been exactly 72 hours since the last clean.

Here’s my simple rule: if you can see dirt or dust, clean it. If you can’t, don’t worry about it. Your records will thank you, your wallet will thank you, and most importantly, you’ll actually have time to listen to your music instead of constantly fussing over it.

Also, do your own research and pick what works for you. Make sure it’s solid information, not some flim flam forum opinion by someone who’s only been collecting for 6 months and is just repeating the details from the cleaning product description on an Amazon ad. I’ll admit I’m no expert on this subject. There are more knowledgeable and wiser people out there than me, but I think I’ve been doing this long enough to know what works for me and what doesn’t.

What I do know is that half the stuff that’s out there being marketed as the be all and end all Thingamajig to clean your records never existed 30 years ago and all my records (the ones I’ve had the longest that is) sound like they did the first day I brought them.

The bottom line

Vinyl collecting should be about the joy of music, not the anxiety of maintenance. Yes, take care of your records, they’re worth looking after.

But remember, these black discs of tactile goodness were made to be played, not preserved in a state of perpetual cleanliness.

There’s too much hype out there these days about collecting and a fair amount of info on the forums is often driven by hype and marketing, of course the latest cleaning solution created from the tears of rare Siberian otters (don’t laugh it could be a thing), is going to make your records the cleanest sounding static free vinyl you’ve ever heard! But honestly, is it really any better than a clean microfiber cloth and some distilled water? Probably not.

So next time you’re tempted to give your records their third cleaning this week, maybe just put one on the turntable instead. Sit back, relax, and remember why you started collecting in the first place, because vinyl sounds bloody fantastic even with a little bit of dust adding to the warm analogue goodness.

Keep it simple, stop obsessing, and keep enjoying the music!

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What’s your take on record cleaning? Are you a fellow minimalist, or do you think I’m being too relaxed about vinyl care? Let me know in the comments below!

Frank Penny writes about vinyl, music, and collecting culture at Rhythm Exchange Records. Follow along for more thoughts on keeping the joy of record collecting alive or feel free to comment with your thoughts.