Finger Prints on Records

Isopropyl alcohol removes just about anything and does not leave residue, like sometimes ethyl alcohol. Either one, 70% or undiluted will do.
Alcohol is benign enough at some point being used in some experimental systems as a damping fluid (a brush oozing alcohol was leading the stilus).

Use a cotton ball, lightly soaked. Make sure it is fresh out of a bag, with no dust.

I think it’s also possible that some of us have more acidic skin oils than others

True. Often caused by diet, thus reversible. There are reasons bigger than fingerprints-on-records to lower your acidity: the body should be mildly alkaline for peak health.

But back to fingerprints-on-records — I have an old friend who says he’s an ’audiophile; sure has an audiophile system. But every time he handles a record, it’s with full thumb and two fingers, on both sides at once. And he has a great record collection! I keep telling him but he won’t change, drives me nuts to watch.

I put my thumb on the edge, and two fingers under the label. Nothing touches the grooves except the stylus.

I have to say I had never heard of using glass cleaner for fingerprints but I am usually game for anything so gave it a whirl this morning on three older albums that have had heavy prints on them since I got them.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see them ALL be removed, and a load of crud as well that normal cleaning had not removed.

Yes maybe my cleaning techniques need work but nothing has ever touched finger prints in the past so this gets my thumbs up!

An enzymatic cleaner works for me. I use Audio Intelligent Vinyl Solution Enzymatic Formula.