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The "Very Best Record Cleaning Formulation"

The "Very Best Record Cleaning Formulation"

 

I am providing this formulation for all who are interested in the very best, and can be proven and demonstrated to be the "Very Best". It can easily be made from available ingredients. On the surface, it appears to be very simple. However, it is based on extensive complex chemistry along with precise mathematical calculations and verifiable data.

 

You may use it with absolute confidence and be truly assured that it is beyond doubt the "Very Best". You may use it for your personal needs. Or, archival entities may use it for their purposes with confidence. Or, you may choose to start an enterprise that makes and packages quantities as either a "ready-to-use" or a "Semi-concentrated" version for sale and distribution knowing that nothing better exists. You have my blessings and encouragement with one condition. And, that is, that the pricing represents a "fair margin", and, not an obscene gouging, typical for such products.

 

Initially, I had prepared a presentation that briefly introduced myself, and provided the thought processes, design parameters, and the necessary basics of chemistry, physics, and mathematics to assure you and allow you to be absolutely confident in this formulation. I made a considerable effort to keep it as simple, but, also as thorough enough to achieve this confidence. However, that presentation entailed 5,239 words, typical of such a requirement, however, unacceptable in length by this website forum.

 

I have no option other than to offer the formulation as a 100% parts by weight version suitable to produce 1 Kilogram of the cleaner, and, invite you to question me about any aspect of the formulation.

 

Professionally, I am a Chemist, more specifically a Polyurethane Chemist. I have a Doctorate in Chemistry as well as two other Doctorates and a M.B.A.. I held prominent positions in significant corporations before being encouraged to start our (wife and I) manufacturing facility servicing those I previously worked for. We started, owned, and fully operated this business. We eventually obtained 85+% Market Share in our sector in Medical, Automotive, Sporting Goods, and Footwear areas before retirement.

 

The Audio Industry is extremely technical and many brilliant minds have contributed their talents over the decades in order that we may enjoy music today as we choose. Like many other technical industries, those of lesser minds and values invade the arena with their "magical" inspired revelations and offer their "magical" ingredients and items to all at extremely high prices. They promise that if only we are willing to part with our money - they can provide these items to you that make your audio system sound as if the orchestra, or vocalist, is in your room with you. And, after all, "magical items" must be expensive, otherwise, they would not be "magical".

 

This disturbs me enormously, and, it is for such reasons, I feel compelled to provide realistic and truthful information that conforms to basic Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematical Principals in those areas with which I am very knowledgeable and familiar.

 

          "Ultimate Record Cleaner Solution"

 

   Ingredient                                          Amount by Weight (Grams)

 

Distilled Water                                     779.962

 

Ethyl Alcohol                                       220.000

 

Tergitol 15-S-7 (Dow Chemical)            0.038  (Approx. = 2 Drops)

                                                         1,000.000

 

Important and/or Relevant Criteria

 

1.)  Distilled Water ONLY. Do not use deionized, tap, rain, or spring water. Distilled Water is readily available in most grocery stores. Check labeling to be certain that it is distilled and not deionized. The pricing is comparable.

 

2.)  Ethanol must be purchased at a "Liquor Store" or a "Liquor Control Board" that is suitable for human consumption, and the appropriate taxes must be paid. This assures that the alcohol consists of only Ethyl Alcohol and water. You need to purchase the 95+% version, also known as 180+ Proof. NOTHING ELSE is acceptable. (100% Ethyl Alcohol is not available under "normal" circumstances). Denatured alcohol from a Hardware Store or elsewhere is PROHIBITED, as well as ANY other alcohols.

 

3.)  Tergitol 15-S-7 is made by Dow and is available on the internet in small quantities from Laboratory Supply Houses such as Fisher and Advance, etc.. I have no affiliations with either Dow Chemical, or Fisher, or Advance. You MUST use Tergitol 15-S-7 ONLY. No other Tergitol product is acceptable for this designed formula, and you need to acquire the undiluted form only.

 

4.)  The above cleaner formula will result in a non-foaming (VLF) Surfactant Formulation that exhibits the following:

            Surface Tension of 28.5 dynes/centimeter @ 20 C. (68.0 F.)

            Surface Tension of 28.2 dynes/centimeter @ 25 C. (77.0 F.)

 

5.). A Surface Tension of 28.5 dynes/centimeter is Remarkable and will properly clean records of all organic soilings, and all oily substances, as well as very significant amounts of inorganic soilings.  This available Surface Tension coupled with the Azeotropic Characteristics of very rapid evaporation and spotless drying occur because of the selection of Ethyl Alcohol and the very specific concentration determined as 22.00% p.b.w., further improves the products abilities.  The "Ease-of-Use" and "Spot-Free" results are to be accepted.

 

6.). Be aware that an "ideal temperature of use" also exists for this formulation.  And, that reasonable temperature is 40 C. (104.0 F.). Further increases in temperature offers no improvement, therefore, confirming the proper use of the term "ideal". I mention this not because of of any substantial improvement, but, only to be aware of its’ existence. And, if you have a choice to utilize a room that is warmer than another, select the warmer room closer to 104.0 F. There is no need to elevate the temperature of the records or the materials. Simply be aware that 104.0 F. Is ideal.

 

If interest is expressed in this submission, I am willing to provide additional submissions regarding other materials, and, other areas of interest.  Such as"Best Contact Substance", "Best lubricants for turntables", " Better Dampening Materials" for turntables and tonearms, and, most significantly, "Best" material for "Turntable Platter/Vinyl Record Interface" usually called "Record Mats". The last item will certainly disturb many individuals and anger many suppliers.

 

Whatever I may contribute is substantiated by Science and Testing, and Verifiable. Science has no Opinions. Opinions in these matters are best reserved for those who rely on their imagination and wishful thinking.

 

Also, I have no vested interests in this Industry. Simply possess some scientific knowledge that also relates to some aspects of the Audio Area, and I am willing to share that information if requested!

128x128wizzzard
dogberry
675 posts
 

Wizzzard, please read my post again. No physician in the UK is technically a doctor, unless he or she has done an MD. Yet all are called 'doctor' as a courtesy (it refers to their post rather than a qualification). Once a would be surgeon, or obstetrician, has passed his or her FRCS, or FRCOG, they are delighted to revert to 'Mister' or 'Miss' and that is a little bit of inverse snobbery from the days when barber-surgeons were looked down upon by physicians.

Oxford and Cambridge came relatively late to medical training. Students now graduate with a BA as well as bachelor's degrees in medicine and surgery (by the way, the "Ch. is not latin, but French "chirurgerie"). In my day most students did their pre-clinical years in their Oxford college, but came to London for their clinical years, most to UCH, and some to KCH. A few stayed on at The Radcliffe or Addenbrookes, and the proportion who stay there has risen as those hospitals have found their feet. At that time, a London medical qualification was the most highly regarded, and many schools elsewhere tried hard to raise their standards by asking for higher entry standards (eg I got four offers, three As from Bristol, and three Cs from UCH, KCH and Middlesex. I got my three As, but chose to accept the UCL/UCH offer).

Anyway, this has gone tediously off-topic and I agree that you may close this highly policed thread.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,960 posts
 
wizzzard

That is your opinion and you are entitled to it.  I stated this post's intention is to avoid opinions. 

The title of your thread ("The 'Very Best Record Cleaning Formulation' ") is itself an opinion. For my purposes, I usually prefer simple distilled water in the Klaudio ultrasonic cleaner. Others should know this can be an effective method. It isn't clear why that troubles you.

Your last sentence is absolutely uncalled for. A specific level of Ethanol ...

I just can't imagine what kind of contamination you are encountering on these records that requires alcohol for removal.

lewm
13,121 posts
 

Cleeds, the point is that unadulterated water is not wet enough to get into the grooves. The surface tension of water by itself is too high. So some sort of wetting agent is useful to reduce the surface tension of the washing solution, so that it truly can get into the record, grooves, and actually lift whatever grunge you might imagine is lurking there. that isn’t only wizzzard’s idea. That is the philosophy behind all of these record, washing solutions, other than using pure water. Those who believe that a surfactant is advisable would tell you that you really aren’t doing much with pure water, perhaps.

Can ultrasonic cleaning obviate the need for lowering the surface tension of water? Good question. I don’t know.

dogberry
675 posts
 

Absolutely right, @lewm, but combined with:

I just can't imagine what kind of contamination you are encountering on these records that requires alcohol for removal.

it is obvious to all that alcohol (of any chain length) isn't much good as a wetting agent. At the end of the day, we have one person's opinion about the percentage of a certain alcohol and a certain wetting agent making the "best" cleaning solution in distilled water.

Almost everyone who cleans their records uses distilled water with a detergent and some alcohol added. That's news to no one. To claim some massive benefit from using ethanol rather than isopropanol, or Tergitol over any other detergent should take some evidence.

My experience says that pure DW in an ultrasonic machine is pretty good, but I go quite a long way beyond that for theoretical benefit even though I'm not sure I can hear the advantage. The OP needs to show why his solution is better than any other, and that is not something we have any hint of as yet. To be fair to him, one would need double blind cleaning and a significant number of listeners (and even then, can we say the disks were all equally dirty?) Plainly, we are in the territory of opinion, and I'm happy to listen to opinions. I just don't take them as gospel.

Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,960 posts
 
lewm

... the point is that unadulterated water is not wet enough to get into the grooves. The surface tension of water by itself is too high ... Can ultrasonic cleaning obviate the need for lowering the surface tension of water?

I think the answer to your question is very much "yes." Klaudio recommends nothing but distilled water in its machines and that has worked very well for me - it's a one-button, no muss, no fuss approach to record cleaning. I do occasionally acquire a used LP that appears especially foul and when that happens, I start with my OG  Nitty Gritty machine. But that's rare.

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