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Record Cleaning Fluids--Shelf life

I recently replaced my Nitty Gritty record cleaner with a Loricraft, which has prompted me to revisit the whole business of record cleaning. I have been trying out the AIVS 4-step cleaning process recommended by Doug Deacon (Enzyme, SuperCleaner, Archivist, followed by 2 rinse cycles using the AIVS rinse fluid). This is working OK but it takes too much time--25 minutes or more per record. I need something shorter so I can do a quick 1-step cleaning in order to be able to play a used record, and then I can decide later if I want to invest the time to do a more complete cleaning. I know that AIVS makes a 1-step cleaner and I intend to order some to try. In the meantime, I'd like to try some of my old Torumat cleaning fluid which I figure is now 10 or 11 years old. The bottle hasn't been subject to any abuse since it's just been sitting in my music room all this time, but I wonder if it might go bad after all this time. Does anybody know?

Dave
salectric
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uru975
684 posts
 
Take one of your own to try or buy a record from a used record store, a $1 or $2 investment and try it. If the record treatment is a dud you'll know.
It would probably help if you got one that you already had a copy of to compare to.
Though this does bring up the question of whether the new copy was cleaned properly or the old one was not. Or the new one was just a bum one to begin with. The peregrinations become endless. Yet the test is still valid.
istanbulu
291 posts
 
Try the Mint LP cleaner.

http://mintlp.com/

Yip, the guy who makes the Best Tractor, also makes and sells his Mint LP cleaner, and I have been astonished at how well it works if I follow his directions. Simple, quick, clean, and everything I want from a cleaning solution. I have a VPI cleaner.

I have no business or other affiliation with him... just a very pleased customer.

:) listening,

Ed
doon
15 posts
 
If it has no visible sign of degradation, such as cloudiness, it is probably OK. But just to be safe you might throw away anything over five years old. My own VPI solution went bad after about 10 years.
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