Record Care Regime can I do better ?

As @cleeds stated, LPs aren't made in clean rooms and, in fact, some record pressing plants are very messy places.

Having worked in a clean room environment and having analyzed new LPs, I would say that most record pressing plants are dirty. I would definitely clean any new LP.  Most new LPs have significant contamination on the surface which is not visible to the naked eye. Much of this contamination is due to mold-release compounds. Once cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner your LPs should be fine for quite a while if handled carefully and stored properly.

Your cleaning process looks fine.

+1 @antinn

Thanks all for the comments so far .... it seems that i should consider investing in an RCM at some point .... be it Ultrasonic or a more affordable Project VCS type thing ...
I have added a Milty Zerostat gun recently after reading about and chatting with others who have them, so that should prove to be a reducer of static , which while doesn't seem to be much of an issue sound wise for me , could be contributing to my 'dust' problems ..

so once again thanks for the comments and all future thoughts are welcome ...

@swann36,

To repeat a post I made over at Steve Hoffman (with a few mods) and in reference to your issue with the stylus collecting gunk:

This review of the Disco unit Disco-Antistat Vinyl Cleaning Machine From Knosti - The Audiophile Man , states the same problem with gunk on the stylus and attributes it to the supplied cleaning agent. The reviewer does go on to offer some suggested alternative cleaning agents. Also, you can use the ILFORD ILFOTOL that can be purchased in the UK. If using ILFORD ILFOTOL, you can double the recommended concentration from 1part cleaner:200parts water to 1part cleaner:100 parts water to get improved detergency. The recommended 1:200 is good as a ’wetting’ agent; but it ’may’ be a bit ’light’ as a detergent. But first try at 1:200 (5 ml/liter). Just make sure to rinse after use as you currently do.

I will add that allowing the record to dry overnight can allow it collect lint & particles that are in the air that you cannot see with normal light. These airborne lint/particulate are visible with a 265nm UV light. If you decide to use a UV light for inspection - you will not need more than 10W and the inspection time is just a few seconds - intense UV light for long periods can damage the record. Takeaway - if allowing to dry overnight place in a area with limited air flow (which sounds contradictory, but you want it dry and clean).

Big question - aside from the stylus gunk - are you otherwise satisfied with your process? Do your records mostly play quiet? How often do you change out the cleaning bath? I have no rule of thumb for you. A benefit of vacuum-RCM is that fresh cleaner is used each time. Cleaning particulate from the groove is not easy - there is an entire science on what it takes to clean minute particulate (i.e. <~25micron) - the semi-conductor industry. A big takeaway is developing enough shear force to release the particle from the surface; and this is influenced by fluid surface tension, and fluid agitation. Ultrasonics work because of the high cavitation (fluid agitation) that is produced; and the tank offers a lot of cleaning fluid volume and this can be improved with tank filtration to keep the fluid clean. But, you can use manual brushing to also develop high fluid agitation. So when you say you use 10 rotations - how fast do you rotate?

I use a manual cleaning process - you can download what I do for free here https://thevinylpress.com/precision-aqueous-cleaning-of-vinyl-records/ - let me reiterate - this addresses A way to clean - not THE way. For me to really deep clean the particulate I am moving my brush back-forth (= one stroke) at a rate as high as two strokes of ~6-inch-arc/second. Slower is OK for surface type soils such as a finger-print, but small particles need lots of agitation. BUT, BUT, BUT, if you use a brush that actually penetrates the groove deeply then the rapid motion risks breaking off the brush tips making the problem worse. The brush I use just covers the top of the groove and the bristles are flexible - so the rapid motion is moving the cleaning fluid and the foam that is developed in the brush helps lift away particulate.

Good luck,
Neil

I’m too cheap to buy anything expensive, if I can get results manually. I can afford it, but have nowhere to set it up if I bought ...

I started cleaning my old LP’s, nasty, mine, or given to me by friends when they went to CD’s. Cleaned, they sound very good and quiet. I keep them or sell them on eBay.

mix my own cleaning fluid, manual spray bottle, a bit more than needed for 10. mostly 91% alcohol, some purchased mix, a few drops of wetting stuff from dishwasher machine. manual rinse with distilled water, pre-dry lint free cloth, in the 10 lp rack.

I scrub VIGOROUSLY with baby scalp scrub brushes

https://www.amazon.com/Scalp-Scrubbie-Sterile-Cradle-Sponge/dp/B005EJ7YH4/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=289SP...=

your modern stylus profile is getting down into the grooves where old elliptical never reached. deep groove cleaning, then improved groove wall contact, they sound surprisingly good.

I protect the paper labels with the lid from a Chinese Soup container.
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In this listing, next to last photo, you can see what I worked out, cleaning and drying batches of 10 while listening in a perfect triangle. Normal listening chair is 4 feet behind, L & R projecting toed in, without table obstruction.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/George-Harrison/133555126055

Last photo is the Vintage TT I assembled with lots of help here. I just squeezed in a 3rd arm on left side, backwards, only 210mm spindle to pivot, and short counterweight rear portion (to fit inside the dust cover).

3 cartridges ready to go, back and forth during a listening session.

left side Grado Mono MM; rear arm is Stereo MM, replaceable stylus; long right side arm is Stereo MC which I love but don’t want to wear out playing ’not too special’ LP’s.

Mono Lp’s played via true Mono Cartridge can be better, much better, and vastly better than playing via Stereo Cartridge, even when using McIntosh ’Mono’ via it’s Mode Switch. A few old Jazz Mono LP’s were transformed from non-involving ’history’ lessons to very involving musical experiences. Not imaging, but nice distinction of individual players.

MM is no slouch Shure V15VxMR body with new Jico SAS stylus. MC, AT33PTG/II is favorite, Very similar performance to Shure, except Imaging is best due to wider channel separation and tighter channel balance improving sound and location of individual players.
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Stylus, I keep a 20 power make-up mirror below the stylus

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QXKFT6J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

typical little brush, gel pad, liquid stylus cleaner, Discwasher static brush.

I just cut small hunks off of these,

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WNQV39L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also keep small alcohol wipes handy, if I encounter a ’blip’, I watch the track and spot on the label rotation, and manually clean that area with the pad, 9 times out of 10 it’s something you cannot see or feel.