bpoletti, After a search of the scientific literature to support your claim (which I have heard before this) that alcohol removes plasticizers from LPs and could by that mechanism damage them, I found exactly one reference, which is contained in a review article published in 1991. Unfortunately, I cannot access that article in order to evaluate the evidence for myself. Can you provide same?
I have a feeling that the plasticizers are associated with the PVC in such a way as to at least inhibit their leaching out by alcohol, and moreover that the cautious use of alcohol at a dilute concentration would be harmless. (I would not use 98% isopropanol. No. And I don't wash my LPs more than once or twice, usually right after purchase and maybe once more if there is stubborn surface noise on an LP I otherwise adore.)
And despite ebm's characteristic declarative single sentence opinion on this subject, I would wager that more than 50% of us use some amount of isopropanol in our RCM concoctions, for good or ill. There certainly is no profound negative effect. In US machines where the cleaning fluid is also heated up by the US energy, perhaps the elevated temperatures might enhance any damage that could be done by alcohol. I really don't know. So maybe I would not use alcohol in my US machine. Anyway, the heat would also drive off the alcohol, lowering its concentration.
I have a feeling that the plasticizers are associated with the PVC in such a way as to at least inhibit their leaching out by alcohol, and moreover that the cautious use of alcohol at a dilute concentration would be harmless. (I would not use 98% isopropanol. No. And I don't wash my LPs more than once or twice, usually right after purchase and maybe once more if there is stubborn surface noise on an LP I otherwise adore.)
And despite ebm's characteristic declarative single sentence opinion on this subject, I would wager that more than 50% of us use some amount of isopropanol in our RCM concoctions, for good or ill. There certainly is no profound negative effect. In US machines where the cleaning fluid is also heated up by the US energy, perhaps the elevated temperatures might enhance any damage that could be done by alcohol. I really don't know. So maybe I would not use alcohol in my US machine. Anyway, the heat would also drive off the alcohol, lowering its concentration.