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Steam Cleaning - RCM or not?

I posted a couple of times yesterday about this over at AudioKarma, but thought I would ask here as well since Audiogon seems to be at the center of the steam cleaning information.

I tried steaming in earnest a few nights ago; I did an LP I've had for years that had had some minor mold on it, which I removed a long time ago with my RCM, but the spore pattern remained. It was gone in a minute with the steam, which I somewhat expected. What I didn't expect was how lifelike this 3rd pressing, orange-label Dynaflex LP suddenly sounded. Amazing!

My question is this; I'm really drawn to the idea of not using my 20+ year old RCM at all because of the noise, which I'm getting tired of hearing after all these years. I'd really like to be just steaming, lint-brushing with my home-made fluid I've been using a while, steaming again and wiping with a couple of microfiber cloths. That seems to work very well, except that I seem to be getting some gunk on my stylus now and again which may be lint from the cloths.

Is this a concern? I actually did this routine a couple of times to one side of an LP and then did the same thing but RCM'd and not microfibered the other side, and I would swear the non-RCM's side sounded slightly more real in each case. Sonically I'm completely okay with the cloths only, but am a little concerned about possible residue and whatever that is showing up on my needle—although my ears are telling me this is the way to go. Anybody else come to this conclusion?
vanmeter
crem1
672 posts
 
Vanmeter: Your post detailing "Spray&Wash"(S&W) offers a reasonable solution to an difficult cleaning problem. Vinyl is vinyl . Steam cleaning a super-grunged LP with the use of S&W , should cause no problems. Besides when its "Spray & Wash" a LP or the trash can , I'll use S&W. Thanks.

Readers : I purchased a McMulloch , Model MC 1235 Handheld Steam Cleaner @ The Home Depot Internet site ($50 to my door). I learned of the MC 1235 from a posting on another thread. The MC 1235 has too many innovations to summarize. Its a significant upgrade to my arsenal of steamers for LP cleaning. I recommend anyone interested Google "mc 1235" for a detailed explanation ... A true 21th Century Product in design, operation & technology. Best to all.
crem1
672 posts
 
Vanmeter , I signed onto AA searching for "Spray & Wash" posts . I note that of 200 comments I viewed,none were adverse to "S&W's" use. A net search revealed a spray and a liquid. Which one do you recommend? If its the liquid is the ratio ,as some posts mentioned, 14 units of H2O to 1 unit of "S&W"correct? V, what do you recommend?
vanmeter OP
33 posts
 
I've just been using the spray bottle such as shown at the link below, but about a 4:1 ratio (4 water to 1 S&W)...somewhere on AA I saw that, and that's what I tried!

http://www.bettymills.com/store/images/product/XREC1420.JPG
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Why are there no commercial steam record cleaning machines?
vanmeter OP
33 posts
 
I have to mention, and it may have been said before and I've missed it, that the most amazing difference I've heard wtih steam is on old mono 45s. Steam isn't a miracle worker, but I'm hearing better signal to noise, less distortion, just all around cleaner sound much of the time.
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