Finger Prints on Records

Almandog,
I buy used records, some dollar bins which can have copius fingerprints.

I am new to this type of cleaning, but luckily I started out with something that works well: Mobile Fidelity Super Deep Cleaner. I use a Mofi Record cleaning brush for applying and lightly wiping - I keep one dedicated for dirty records. Usually 2 or 3 washes (the last with their other cleaner: Super Wash) gives me a fingerprint-less record. I bet someones homebrew version of the cleaner would work just as well.

I also use a manual KAB vacuum cleaning machine to remove the cleaning solution. Works for me.

cheers, ed

I think it's also possible that some of us have more acidic skin oils than others. I worked in a Mercedes Benz dealership many years ago and I noticed that certain customers would have steering wheels that were absolutely worn smooth, all texture was erased from the plastic. Now these were white collar types, not farm workers with dirt and grit on their hands that could do this. This was definitely not a systemic problem with Benz plastic, only happened with a very few individuals. I also have bought electric guitars in the past that had finger prints etched into the chrome plating on bridges and other parts. So some of us just seem to be able to damage things more than others with our skin oils. I wonder if dermatologists have made any note of this or if this is just anecdotal.

Good point Photon46!

I have super acidic oils and didn't even think about it when handling vinyl. But I always hold by the edges with a single finger -almost dropped one yesterday. Finger prints I am usually cleaning are those already on used records and just a few of mine, I guess.

Almandog, I think you may have posted a response to this tread over in the 'Well recorded..." thread?

ed

I think it may be a chemical reaction of the oil from our fingers to the cleaning agents. When I clean an old used album of finger prints it looks really good but after playing it I see parts of a finger print on the lead in groove and never seem to get rid of them even after cleaning again. Maybe we should use gloves when cleaning till all the cleaning solution has evaporated. I use a VPI 16.5 and it vacumes away the liquid but is it really totally dry?

Isopropyl alcohol removes just about anything and does not leave residue, like sometimes ethyl alcohol. Either one, 70% or undiluted will do.
Alcohol is benign enough at some point being used in some experimental systems as a damping fluid (a brush oozing alcohol was leading the stilus).

Use a cotton ball, lightly soaked. Make sure it is fresh out of a bag, with no dust.