budget cleaning ideas for garage sale records?

I have been cleaning records for thirty five years with soap and water like I said. A Dj I knew way back when used it so I tried it and it worked great. Never had a problem - I would not use alcohol - messed one up about thirty five years ago like that. The discwasher brush is helpful with the soap and water. I guess you could spend money on a solution but I would rather buy records.

FWIW, The 50/50 solution is direct from Kieth Monks. Haven't screwed up a piece of vinyl yet using this solution. I admit that I don't buy garage sale items so rarely have to do this type of cleaning. Never-the-less, don't knock it unless you try it. I swear, if people believe what they read from the manufacturers regarding vinyl cleaning solutions, you'd be buying their tap water for $100 a half pint.

Go here and read the various recipes:

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/fluids.html

There is also a very detailed explanation about cleaning vinyl records that are 33 1/3 rpm from The Library of Congress:

http://www.loc.gov/preserv/care/record.html

Go read up and then critique the practice of using alcohol.

Happy listening,
Patrick

Kind of funny how they list Enid Lumley's work in IAR as a reference source at the Library of Congress. How many people back then thought that she was a kook ??? Sean
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So the Library of Congress is the final word on record cleaning? Do they have better hearing than any of us here? Should we always blindly trust Government Agencies?

The fact is that most record vinyl contains plasticizers that make the vinyl more pliable, to aid the stamping process. The plasticizer of choice is diocytl phthalate, a dibasic fatty acid, which is IPA (ISO-Propyl alcohol) soluable. (It will disolve with IPA). Will you see it with the naked eye? No. The time of contact will determine the ammount that disolves, as well as the solution concentration. I realise the time of contact is short, (less thn 1 minute) and most use a concentration that is less than 50%, however, there is still loss.

I've tried DIY cleaning solutions made of dishwashing soaps, all which left behind a film which caused loss of detail, loss of high frequencies, and dynamics. Granted, this is to my hearing and with my system. Results may vary ...

In my opinion, there are many commercial cleaners that work well, are IPA free, and cost less than 5 cents per record cleaned. Turomat TM/7 and Record Research come to mind. Disc Doctor is also alcohol free, but requires a rinse cycle, so it leaves a film behind. (And also is more labor intensive). With the Disc Doctor, you should also have another wand for your VPI machine so as to prevent cross contamination with the rinse cycle. It shouldn't harm your records though.

My point; the "expensive" cleaners cost pennies per use and won't harm your records. Is it logical to spend a few pennies on your vinyl?