MoFi enzyme based cleaner and pure rinse

I got some good advice from a guy named Roger at Music Direct, who suggested I try MoFi when I started listening to vinyl again last year.

On Lps with dirty pop/click grunge, I use the MoFi Super Deep Cleaning fluid. I also use a MoFi brush. I get the fluid on and spread it around, then I use a gentle scrubbing motion for about 30 seconds. (Roger didn't mention the scrubbing--I decided to try this after I found I wasn't seeming to have enough success without scrubbing, and I saw some suggestion somewhere that scrubbing helped, and let me emphasize -- GENTLE SCRUBBING ON PROBLEMATIC RECORDS REALLY WORKS.) Then I walk away for about 2 minutes, then come back with the brush for 30 more seconds or so, then vacuum it off. (I use a VPI 16.5)

After that, I do a simple and quick "rinse" with the Super Record Wash, vacuum it off, and I'm done.

Does that work 100% every time? Nope. There are some records that I haven't been able to fix. I'd be inclined to try an alcohol-based cleaner for those (whether it's viewed as a no-no or not--once isn't going to kill a record, in my view), however, I haven't looked hard enough to find one. (I think VPI cleaner used to have alcohol in it, but I really don't know.)

I've read darn near every long post on Audiogon on record cleaning fluids (which are exhaustive and exhausting), and I do not recall ever having heard that MoFi fluids leave a residue. And, frankly, if they do, and that's why the records sound so fine after a good cleaning, then I'll take the residue.

One note of caution. I think I even did a post about whether scrubbing is potentially damaging to records...but I'm past 50 and don't remember everything... I suppose there is some theoretical danger to gentle scrubbing, but if you're having a problem getting a dirty record cleaned, I think it's worth the trade-off, risk-wise, and out of the 100 or so records I've cleaned with scrubbing, I don't think I made any of them worse-off. But you've got to be GENTLE.

Yes Eweedhorme, I have heard this too. The enzyme based cleaner and pure rinse were supposed to be a departure from all this. That was what had disappointed me, and it doesn't really work all that better than the cheap VPI stuff.

Sure, scrubbing could pose a danger, akin to if you were glazing-waxing your car, and there is trapped grit-dirt between wax applicator, and paint, you will scratch the surface-finish.

To lessen this, I suggest pre-cleaning-dusting with at least a Carbon Fiber Brush, specifically used for this purpose, before placing an LP on an RCM. This will also place less wear and tear on your RCM's Wand Protective Strips, and Scrubbing Brushes.

I certainly cannot speak for everybody out there who cleans thier records, but I'd probaby be correct saying that even the folks who are using the very best state of the art RCM's made, such as Loricraft, Monks, Hannl, etc., and are using whatever cleaners, whether a one step, or a multi-step such as Walker, AIVS, Mo-Fi are resorting to scrubbing with seperate, dedicated brushes for each particular cleaning step-rinse.

For each step, apply first with Brush-Brush Pad, let those products sit, to first do thier job for a number of minutes, attacking-working on the contaminants.

Only then begin your scrub routine, use a technique following the grooves, in a forward-reverse motion, scrubbing both ways, cleaning a 1/4th to a 1/3rd of the record at a time, and then move onto the next section of record, insuring overlap. Use the best quality Brushes-Brush Pads you can afford. After scrubbing is completed, then vacuum off fluids, and continue to the next step. There is nothing that says a specific step cannot be repeated, and it may be wise to do so with horribly dirty records. Same applies with the pure Water Rinse.

It is always important that you NEVER let any cleaner-rinse dry on the surface! An example is washing-spraying your car with tap water, let the water dry, then look at your paint finish, and the resulting water spots which are then very difficult to remove.

I think most here will generaly agree with what I have written, and I hope this helps you achieve better results. Mark

Markd51 - Good description of "safe" scrubbing (which I didn't describe). Also, I completely agree that a pre-cleaning dust-off of some kind is fully appropriate, and do so with and old VPI record brush (and usually a few Zerostat zaps to deal with the static).

It's a darn nutty ritual, isn't it? But feels somewhat virtuous.

"It's a darn nutty ritual, isn't it? But feels somewhat virtuous."

Words of genius Eweedhome.