While i'm a relative neophyte in terms of vinyl knowledge, my guess is that an LP should be THOROUGHLY cleaned BEFORE any playing takes place. This is to remove any of the mold release compound and other foreign particles such as dust, paper bits from the sleeve, etc... that would otherwise become compacted or imbedded into the grooves upon first playing. Once the record has been "sanitized for your protection", you should put it into some type of "high grade" record sleeve that will not "shed" paper or other materials into the grooves. Once this is done, a brief cleaning with some type of "non-shedding" record brush can be used prior to each playing. Shooting the disc with some type of anti-static device such as the Zerostat would also probably work wonders, especially in the winter season.
Cleaning of the stylus should be done on a fairly regular basis as ALL vinyl will "shed" on a regular basis. It is cheaper and easier to do this than to listen to discs that have had the grooves "re-cut" or "worn". This would be due to the small amount of gunk on your stylus that has gradually built up "grinding" through the walls of each groove rather than "gliding" through an otherwise clean path. Heavy smokers may have to do this more often than non-smokers.
Following this procedure should minimize damage to discs and your stylus. Waiting to clean them AFTER they've been played or become noisy will only increase surface noise, cause improper tracking due to the stylus NOT riding directly in the center the groove, pack whatever dirt, dust, mold release compounds further down and into the groove walls of the vinyl, reduce the lifespan of the vinyl, etc...
As to the specific chemicals and methods used to achieve "sonic nirvana" and "record hygiene", that is up to the individual. Personally, i use a combination of Hydrochloric Acid and Gasoline with paint brushes and rollers. I haven't seen ANYTHING that can live or cling to surfaces after that combo has been applied and massaged into the grooves. After treatment, the grooves are so clean that you can hardly see their individual impressions anymore. To further minimize contamination of the disc and protect MY health, i "suit up" and use a respirator and gloves during the whole procedure. This also keeps dead skin and other foreign particles such as hair, eyelashes, drool and food remnants from falling onto the otherwise clean surface. I then "seal" the cleanliness into each LP with a thin layer of varnish. The discs are then left to air dry in a "clean room" that is temperature and humidity controlled.
Just remember, you can never be TOO careful when it comes to your health or your vinyl : ) Sean
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