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Now using Spin Clean cloths for drying...

I've used my trusty VPI 16.5 for roughly 35 years. I have been using the following process below for roughly 10 years...1) wet clean with Audio Intelligent #15, which does require a distilled (or other pure) water Rinse process. I use separate wet brushes.. one dedicated for the #15, and another for the H20. As the thread title hints upon, I'm no longer vacuuming, Sidenote: When I was vacuuming, I used separate VAC arm tubes for the #15 and water. I would say a couple of years ago, I just stopped the Vac drying in favor of the Spin Clean Cloths. The SC Cloths are very much like an old fashioned cloth baby diaper. I'd like to seek out opinions to see what my fellow Audiogon members think of this. My take is: I see this as a positive, as it eliminates the static (noise/pops/clicks) that the Vac process seems to promote. I use a dedicated bin of cloths for drying the #15, and then another to dry the distilled H20. I realized after a very short period, that the SC Cloths should be used only once. So after a single use, they get laundered with the all natural type laundry detergent.

 

fjn04
elliottbnewcombjr
5,304 posts
 

Most of what I get is paper dust, and I simply lay a large eyeglass cleaning cloth, essentially it's own weight, spin by hand, not pressing, simply moving the cloth with paper dust off to the edge both gently and quickly.

snap that paper dust off like a shoe shine rag, ready for the next time.

fjn04 OP
1,561 posts
 

Good point as far as the dust goes. If using medical gloves, and a safe cloth such as the Spin Clean, I'm not sure of any apparent negatives other than the dust. But that is wiped off with a dry brush (such as the Hunt or Audioquest) after the cloth drying process. 

bigtwin's avatar
bigtwin
1,175 posts
 

The stuff in the grooves is the problem.  Do you not think using a brush on the surface of your record is going to be pushing micro size particles back into the grooves?  Same with a cloth laying on the surface of the record?  Happy to be shown the error of my assessment, but I come back to the same point.  Why touch the surface of the record with anything after you have cleaned it?  

fjn04 OP
1,561 posts
 

I hear you...and I’m trying to be open minded. Being that it’s a Vacuum cleaning machine, the LP surfaces are being touched after cleaning either way. Either by the Vac wand during the Vac dry stage, or by cloth drying. I'm aware these two options may have their advantages and disadvantages. I think the Cloth drying has the edge for the anti-static reason I mentioned in the original thread, Again, there is no Ultrasonic machine in the mix here. Just a VPI Vac cleaner and the comparison between the two drying options. 

pindac's avatar
pindac
2,768 posts
 

A Tap Water that is ’soft’ is claimed to be fine for cleaning an LP, as the particulate that is suspended in it is not going to be of a dimension that can be detected by the Stylus, if it is able to become lodged deep in the groove. I am not sure if this method when used to clean would leave a residual when left to air dry?

A Water that is ’Hard’ goes have particulate suspended within it, that is best not to be in contact with a LP Groove, using this method is best avoided and using a Distilled or Purified Water will be the better alternative. Distilled and Purified Water will both air dry without leaving a residual on the surface.

When making a Solution for cleaning, there are Solutions that are used that have chemical constituents that can be detrimental and there are ratio’s of mixes for the constituents to be considered for the exact dilution of the chemical.

The Link will offer much insight into areas to be concerned about for Cleaning Vinyl LP’s.

 

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