Deep Cleaning Records With Steam?

Crem1 - I have been using AIVS cleaning solution and it works great. However this super tough crystal like deposit in the grooves are very stubborn. I have found them to only be on Sheffield lab albums and after 6 cleanings with a total soaking time of 3 hrs i have only removed about 50% of the deposits. I am just using up large amounts of cleaning solutions for very little gain. I am just looking for something that might remove it in one shot even if it has to soak for a few hours. I will try soaking with the AIVS enzyme cleaner for 3 hrs straight and see what results i get. Also i am concerned i might be damaging the lp playing it with these deposits still on the lp since a white powdery substance is coming off it might be scratching the grooves. Or worse yet damage my $2k cartridge. I hope all the steaming i have been doing is not setting the deposits more firmly in the grooves. Only time will tell.

Tshulba: Jim Pendleton, President of Osage Audio & Audio Intelligent Products reports Sheffield Lab Records , which weren't in paper sleeves, were probably treated with Last Preservative that is beginning to go bad.

He wrote , "Last is a polymer coating that is near impossible to remove without damage to the record ... it was not designed to wear off". Mr. Pendleton's products (nor are other fluids) designed to remove Last .

Todd, it appears we all have learned something from you even if Last can not be removed from that LP.

Perhaps as a place of last resort , contact the makers of "Last" to see if they know of a solution that none of us are awaire of.

This is one super thread. Thanks Crem again

I talked with Mr Pendleton and he was very helpful .I will see if i can contact LAST and try find a way to remove these deposits.
Also i have found that if i steam my lp before playing it instead of using a carbon fiber record brush the static is much lower and the record sounds better.

Stltrains : What makes this thread "work" is that steam cleaning works and is a significant stand alone or adjunct to popular record cleaning methods.

According to my email most everyone hears improvements over conventional RCMs. Combo'ing Steam and RCMs is supported by most everybody that's tried it. I have a alot of email from those that use steaming solo and are estatic with the results.

The big Q's (for me) is whether newer/improved record cleaning fluids will make a difference , whether better perhaps safer more specialized steamers are possible/needed and whether specialized bacteria designed to consume contaminates on LPs is commercially plausible ,or are enzymes the way to go. Time will tell.

Oh & how I would like a respected University with a diverse resource base perform scientific studies / research to determine the most cost effective way to safely clean recordings. Johns Hopkins perhaps ??

The market place its hard to make that kind of assessment when so much money is at stake. Business (like life) is rarely rational ; its driven by profit and market share so lots of good intentions get swept aside for the $ or $$$$$. Kinda eat or be eaten. Not too much room for science in that lunchroom.

To be reflective , remember how this thread began ,in part questioning, do I the audio consumer need to buy a $150 "outfit" or is there an alternative ? As we all now know any of us willing to make the effort can "outfit" ourselves for far less , including the same exact steaming unit. Nothing wrong with spending the $150 but you can do it for less. I think we are evolving to the real grit of the matter looking for a little record cleaning grail here and there. So, lets find it if we haven't already.