What is your record cleaning regimen?

@edcyn A mighty ’wooossshhh’ .....


ah ah ah true, inside there is a noisy vacuum cleaner motor; my machines are both manual for this reason I think nothing has ever broken.
The fewer automatisms there are, the less likely it is that something will break.

Updated Degritter due out soon.

I thought about the Kirmuss which does a wonderful job (maybe the best), but many steps + many LPs = very unappealing.

I will stick with my Kirmuss and the many steps are on the initial cleaning. I give my records a 2 min bath then a vac on subsequent plays. 

@mglik

I think I got my last “refills” from Amazon. I have used this system for over thirty years…I occasionally try something different. But keep coming back to it. Yeah, you still need a record washer… but I havn’t found a better set of products.

Last Power Cleaner before record cleaning, using the Last brush.

Record Cleaning with a record vacuum cleaner (I still use VPI Cleaner… no great amount of research… it works fine. Maybe there is better).

Next use Last Preservative… reduces noice… theoretically it retards wear (I don’t know)… I have never “worn out” a record.

Then, before playing Last All Purpose Record Cleaner… removes dust in one revolution on the turntable. Very effective.

I recently bought a Ramar Record Brush ($350+)… ordered from Germany… very pretty, also the well rated Ortofon record brush ($30), and compared to my Hunt E.D.A. Mark 6 Brush… ( I quit on the Discwasher a couple decades ago). The Last was the quickest and most effective.

My process may sound a bit anal.

I have three Osage Audio brushes for three separate steps. 
First, the record receives Audioquest carbon fiber brush dust-off (the same step I use for every side pre-play) then is placed on VPI 16.5 platter.  
I then make sure all my brushes (I also use that little red brush that comes with the old Discwasher package, the one that can fit on top of the fluid bottle…more on that application in a second…) are clear of detritus by using tweezers and an Audio Intelligent Ultra-Pure Water rinse.  

I then use a cleaned-off little brush (that little red guy from the old Discwasher kit) and a small Ultra-Pure Water rinse to clean the felt of the 16.5’s suction tube.

Now my record is all dusted off and my tools are all clean, and I can begin the record cleaning process.

Then, with the record properly clamped to the machine platter, I turn on the motor.  The first cleaning solution, the Audio Intelligent Enzymatic Formula, is applied to the record surface via two full revolutions of the platter.  Per Osage Audio’s recommendation, I gently (without pressing hard so as to avoid further embedding the gunk deeper into the grooves) apply the designated “Enzymatic” brush to the record surface until the solution completely covers the record surface.  I let the solution sit and break up all the gunk for as long as my patience will allow, or perhaps depending on how dirty (or valuable) the record seems. After this I give one more gentle agitation with the brush and then vacuum the solution off via 2 revolutions.

I repeat this whole process with Step 2, the Super Cleaner Formula, and Step 3, the Ultra Pure Water rinse.  I actually do two Ultra Pure Water rinses to make sure there are no artifacts left over. 

Repeat for Side B and done.  It’s that simple! 😉🤣

Yeah, it’s a bit much.  The way I see it, if I’m going to spend such ridiculous money and time on analog playback gear, I might as well go all the way.  YMMV.  I buy lots of used vinyl, not quite as much new, and don’t often buy the fancy-shmancy reissues.  Those new LPs likely won’t get the full monty cleaning treatment unless the music means more to me than most.

I will sometimes hunt down super expensive old pressings on Discogs, or pluck pricey old pressings from record stores sometimes, so I have no problem giving those records this treatment.  
These companies whose cleaning products I’ve used seem reputable, seem concerned about providing effective and safe products/methodologies, and I find my records sound wonderful after the fact.