What do you do when nothing seems to get LP clean?

If you read any of the current threads on cleaning here, you will find that using detergent and tap water are not good. It's not obvious, for shure, because most people have no clue how various fluids react with the vinyl, myself included.

But I do know people here who DO know how tap water, detergent, and other agents react with vinyl, and I respect their opinions based on tests they have performed.

I also know what has worked for me, and I've tried many different types of cleaning fluids. Those who have used Paul's formulas have switched to them. If you can do something that can make almost (if not) all of the vinylphiles who have tried it switch, you're on to something.

Email me, and I'll send you enough to try. But one word of advice: Try to listen to people who at least have a turntable.

Detergent and tap water? Please.

I was one of the beta testers for Paul Frumkin's record cleaning fluids. Listen to what Jphii says. This stuff REALLY works.

Again I agree with the posters regarding Paul Frumpkin's two stage cleaning process. It's really wonderful stuff. Especially if you consider an album a lost cause. What do you have to lose? Post your desire for a sample and one of us will be happy to oblige. Also, FWIW, it's an incredible bargain when you compare the per ounce cost to other commercially available cleaners.

Don't laugh, detergent and distilled water works great and letting them soak is a key to getting lose molds and other sticky things. If you are worried you can always run them through a VPI machine afterwards to clean any residual contaminates.

"Most cleaning supplies are almost entirely water anyway."

Well, I would hope so! But most "detergents" (in the sense of commonly available consumer products, and not true molecular detergents) are a complex soup of various ingredients, including fragrances, water softening agents, bleaching agents, a "glue" to keep all these ingredients from separating out, fabric softeners, etc. Some of these ingredients, e.g., fragrances and fabric softeners, work best when they don't wash off easily. This is a problem for vinyl.

Only single molecule surfactants are effective in low concentrations ... and low concentrations are what you need if you want to have a prayer of removing the surfactant with your RCM. As a complex soup, detergent ingredients are present in far too high a concentration to be effectively removed by an RCM, save for possibly numerous distilled or ultra-pure water rinses.

Regarding tap water ... my tap water has 286 parts per million of total dissolved solids. That's like sprinkling fine sand on your LP! After going through my 4-stage water purifier (sediment filter; carbon block [absorbs chlorine, ammonia and other VOCs]; reverse osmosis; and deionization), the ultra-pure water has 0 parts per million.

Best regards to everyone,
Paul