Cleaning your vinyl records - maPlatine.com

If you want your vinyl records to last longer, it is essential to clean them, as they can be damaged due to dust that is lodged inside the grooves and the residue from cellulose fibres from the inner sleeves. Dust that aggregates can have an abrasive effect on the surface of the record and destroy the finest sound modulations.

Simple rules for using vinyl records

Before you learn how to properly clean your vinyl records, you need to remember a few simple rules on how to use them. When handling records, do not touch the face. Always put the record carefully back into its sleeve after use. The proper way to store records is like books: stacked together vertically. Finally, you should never store your records close to a heat source, as this will warp or bend them. You can clean your records either on a regular basis or occasionally using suitable cleaning equipment. For routine cleaning operations (e.g. before and after using a record), use an antistatic brush. However, if you've purchased records from a second-hand shop or a car boot sale for example, they will need to be cleaned using more specialised equipment (record cleaning machine from VPI or Spin Clean or other similar brands). You'll find all our useful record cleaning tips on www.maplatine.com.

Clean records: better sound and long service life

To clean your records on a regular basis, use an antistatic brush. Records must be cleaned with this brush before and after use, before you put them back in their sleeve. Second-hand records or records that have just come out of the attic will need to be cleaned more thoroughly, especially if they have collected dust. They must be cleaned using special solutions or with a record cleaning machine (e.g. from VPI or Spin Clean). Important: this is not applicable to 78 rpm records. They contain wax and must only be cleaned with a damp cloth. To prevent re-contamination of your records after cleaning, dispose of any damaged or dusty sleeves. Likewise, the turntable and cartridge must also be cleaned using a small soft brush to remove any dust and avoid recontamination. Once you've cleaned all these parts, you can just sit back and enjoy your records.