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Record cleaning and realistic expectations

I recently purchased some Audio Intelligence solution #15 enzymatic pre clean to use on my VPI 16.5 prior to my usual cleaning with Disc Doctor cleaning solution followed by 3 distilled water rinses. I picked a record that came from a collection in a particularly moldy house.The record had faint white splotchy marks all over that I assumed were mold. Pretreated with AI #15 for 5 min per AI’s instructions. After cleaning and drying, the record was cleaner, but the splotches remained. Did I do something wrong? Could the splotches be something else?

A second record had inner runout marks I assumed were from the old plastic inner sleeve, but going thru the same process these as well did not clean up as well...Hmmm?

Would an US RCM like a Degritter do a better job?

Thanks for any assistance on this.

 

 

jim94025
dogberry
689 posts
 

@lewm It all depends on the initial quality of your tap water. Distillation is effective at removing suspended solids (which you certainly don't want to be deposited in your grooves), and reduces dissolved salts (otherwise desalination of sea water would not work). When tap water dries, it does not leave metal ions on the record: they will be left as salts.

I've taken to using an air still to make my own distilled water, and when I look at what is left in it at the end of a run I am very glad it isn't being left on my LPs. My tap water comes from a deep drilled well and goes through a filter cartridge that gets changed every three months, but even so...  It's instructive to let a puddle of tap water dry out on a sheet of glass and look at the residue afterwards. That's what will be left in the grooves.

lloydc's avatar
lloydc
753 posts
 

Some cleaning regimens are obsessed with the rinse cycle, advocating distilled water only.  I use a VPI HW-17.  The vacuum removes whatever liquid is on the record.  Is there any reason to believe ethanol in the rinse would leave a residue?  It is distilled, it is very pure and there should be no minerals  in it.

 

dogberry
689 posts
 

No, I don't think the ethanol will leave any residue, but the water that is with it might. Obviously, being distilled, you are minimising this as best you can. I doubt the vacuum leaves a record truly dry, so this is why the tiny bit of moisture left behind should be as uncontaminated as possible. Once it dries, you are left with what was dissolved in it.

terry9
2,353 posts
 

I certainly fall into the category of "obsessed with the rinse cycle." I can hear the difference with a lab grade US machine. YMMV.

ghdprentice
7,173 posts
 

It has been more than twenty years since I took my deep dive into record cleaning… and it was pretty deep. I do remember that alcohol is a real no no, not because of a residue, but it hardens or damages the vinyl in some way. My research included how the Smithsonian cleaned and preserved records as well as some lengthy scientific publications. Too long ago for me to remember the details… but no alcohol.

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