What's the best way to clean vinyl records?

REALLY good question. Clean records are far more important than one thinks.

Ultrasonic, BUT all ultrasonic units are not created equal, which is why I made my own.

How good is it? Going from VPI to my ultrasonic was MORE than going from good MM to higher end Koetsu. Hard to believe, but true - when I said that I could almost believe the choir was in the room, my wife (who sings in a choir), said, "No, better, because you can clearly hear the concert hall."

Things to watch out for: high frequency US (I use 80 KHz); enough room in the tank for ultrasonic waves to resonate, otherwise they will not clean properly (2 cm for 80 KHz, 4 cm for 40 KHz, though more is better); high power; good energy distribution; rated for continuous use. In short, a quality commercial unit adapted to record cleaning.

I should have spent the first big chunk of money on keeping my records extra clean, because 1. reduced stylus wear, save money, prevent record damage 2. big investment in sound. Instead, I did it last, and burned serious money on replacing cartridges, which I had regarded as expendables.

Once mine have been thoroughly cleaned once, then LAST cleaned and 'treated', I just keep them in good sleeves and plastic overcovers and check for dust when playing. I haven't found it necessary to continually clean or treat. My Goldmund has a cover and I close it when playing. Like to keep the stereo area very clean. (I admit to checking the record for dust and doing a light dusting before every playing. I think this fussing & cleaning allows me to innocently satisfy my OC tendencies; how about you?)

VPI 16.1 on the used market - $400 - $500.00
Walker Audio Prelude Quartet Record Cleaning System - $215.00

Ptss ;
Like you I agree that cleaning well once is enough . And , yes , I use a static brush before playing every time .
Although I'm not a plastic sleeve aficionado ! These old clumsy mitts seem to get those sleeves jammed up when trying to insert or remove the record . Really quite aggravating !

Happy Tunes

To Ebuzz: once i am able to effectively clean a record, I don't see a need to repeatedly re-clean it. In fact, as Doug pointed out, leaving any fluid/residue on the record- a risk in cleaning- makes things far worse than just leaving the record alone. So, I avoid recleaning at this point as a matter of routine, but as my cleaning methods have improved, I have recleaned a number of records- some which I thought were irretrievably compromised by groove damage were in fact contaminated by a combination of ground-in pollutants, and glued firmly into place by tar from cigarettes, previous record cleaning by earlier owners (I buy mostly older pressings), etc.
The most effective 'cheap' solution I have found is AIVS No. 15 -agitate, soak, vacuum, followed by lab water/vacuum. (A VPI 16.5 will do yeoman's work here and is effective).
I've been using a lot of different methods lately, and multiple steps/approaches yield improvements for compromised records. Currently using the big Monks and the KL with reagent water. Cleaning fluids on the Monks vary, depending on a variety of factors.
Doug, have you tried Syntax's 'reverse clean' (my term, not his) ? Ultrasonic wash, then plopping on the Monks for a point nozzle dry? Extremely effective on problem records.