Many of the folks here, I myself included, and as well, as folks on other forums, we have perhaps tried this, or that, or maybe a few different cleaning products, rinsing products, and/or different techniques as well.
It would probably be a rare instance indeed, where a number of member can come forward, and say they have tried every single product on the market, past, and present, to make fair, and accurate analysis/judgement of what products superceed/best others. And what others fall short, and how they fall short.
And I would probably be 100% correct that even in this hypothetical scenario, that there was a sufficient number of prople who have, how many then have used accurate methods "laboratory methods of such testing?
Answer most likely is zero.
Basically all of us end users have to go by, is what our ears, and eyes tell us. Although the human eye, and ear can reveal a lot, none of most likely have electron microscopes in our arsenal, or any other type of lab measuring equipment.
We go by what others say, go by what manufacturers tell us, or profess thier products do, and I'm not going to profess to snake oil products, because none of the very well known products available on the market (Mo Fi, VPI L'Art Du Son, Nitty Gritty, LAST, Disc Doctor, AIVS, Walker, Premier, Phoenix, and others) can be called "snake oil".
It might more actually come down to a "lure", and who might possibly have the best BS story-advertisment yarn to tell? Sort of like Car Manufacturers with thier slogans, and little jingles, thus trying to suck you into a purchase.
Part of the problem I see with many of the cleaners available, is the end user has absolutely no idea what they contain, the purity of thier contents, the actual effectiveness, and safe vinyl use they purport.
Of course we certainly cannot expect companies to give away proprietary formulas. But still, it would be nice at least knowing the basic contents.
I guess the bottom line is, always has, and always perhaps will be, is to use what you like, and what you like paying for. What works for Joe, Jim, and Mike, might not be best suited for somebody else.
This also holds true with any rinsing agents- purified waters.
Without provided Lab Analysis of gases, solids, methods of purification, we are only again "guessing" that Reagent Grade is as good as this, or Mo-Fi Pure is better than that, etc.
I of course like the products I currently use, which is AIVS, but no matter what brands I use, I myself cannot accurately, or truthfully make claims that such a product is better, or worse than another which I have not tried. Mark
