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
Vanmeter, I have found that many LPs can be played shortly after cleaning. For reasons yet un-explained some LPs sound better with a rest. I have no scientific explanation but thats how it is ... Sometimes.
After trying Crem's steam cleaning methods, I was one who decided Cleaning Solutions were no longer necessary.......just a pure water rinse and vacuum after the steam. However I still use a RCM for all the conveniences of rotation and counter-rotation but most importantly, for the vacuuming. I would never consider just simply 'wiping' the record and air drying after the water rinse. At this microscopic level, there will be molecules of dirt and/or contamination lying at the bottom of the water trapped in the grooves. To let it dry there is I feel, counter-productive.
That makes all the sense in the world to me, except other than the occasional white gunk on my stylus, which I suspect it certain mold release compounds, the sound is slightly - just slightly more open without using the RCM, and there's no sense of restriction in sound from not using the vacuum. Maybe I should be looking at what could be wrong with my RCM instead of the other way around!
Hmm, there may be some error in my technique then, as I'm just holding the trigger down the entire time while steaming as opposed to a press / wait / press again cycle. I will remove the attachment and try it with your methodology and see if that improves any. It's important to note that it doesn't drip ALL the time, just on that first blast of steam it's a little more water vapor oriented than steam oriented, but it changes over to all steam quickly. If it persists or I find it defective after trying it your way, I will return the item to TI.

Thanks for your reply and all of your innovations regarding steaming. I am hoping that I can get it down to the science that you have!
Bogglor piece of cake. very easy to do. BTW i hold the trigger down the entire time i'm steaming with the attachment on the steamer its a Perfection steamer. Its normal for the blast of water along with dripping on most occasions. And thats hundreds of lps i've steam cleaned.

I've never had a problem always get super quite, sounding vinyl. The only problem is when a lp is so bad to begin with that the process does not get the results needed to enjoy the record. And all thats lost is your time and a few cents for materials. You will get the hang of it, then it will be second nature to you. IMO nothing beats the sound of a steamed cleaned lp period.