what to do before you get the vpi record cleaner?

I bought a Nottingham spacedeck and have nearly doubled my record collection to 800 in the last 2 months

problem is I am waiting to afford a VPI record cleaner

snap crackle and pop are having fun on my vinyl collection

I am using a decca (dry method) stylus brush
and stylast on the cartridge (with ultrasonic battery operated stylus cleaner)

any suggestions to clean records before I get the expensive cleaner? I don't want to engrain the dirty records (the flea market variety) by playing them and I don't want to destroy my expensive audiophile pressings (Japanese and MSFL)

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

thanks

Tom