Alcohol - yes or no? 2 Channel
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Member 106 posts pedro2 Member 106 posts
pedro2
Sadly not a discussion of single malts or whether music sounds better after a session.  More a case of whether to use alcohol when making your own vinyl cleaning solutions. There seems to be a split opinion on this with some advocating small amounts (around 1%) to never go near the stuff!
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DM Member 620 posts
DM
I don't know about cleaning solution but I spray isoprop alcohol on a record (it is a wetting agent) I need to clean (rare), then with a magic sponge, some dish cleaner and tap water clean one side, repeat on the other and then rinse with filtered tap water. I use heave duty kitchen paper to dry both sides.
 
Geeks will ahhh and uhhh, then tell me I irreversibly damaged the records and need to buy some machine of sorts ... .
 
Let me tell you, the records I've cleaned that way, in two or three minutes, at no cost to speak of, sound (and look) impeccable if there was no previous damage to them.
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David Usmar Uzzy Member 528 posts
David Usmar Uzzy
This subject has been covered many times in many forums

My findings were (and the one i use for my Okki Nokko)  This formula dates back to eh KMAL cleaning machine

RECORD CLEANING FLUID
To make 1/2 (half) Litre.
400ml Triple Distilled Water
97.5ml Methyl Alcahol or Isoprypol.
2.5ml of Ilford Ilfotol or a few drops of turgitol.
Job done

Of course the Okki is vacuuming the solution off the record so the alcohol does not remain in contact for long .. whereas air dried it would sit there for longer until it evaporates.
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Rabski Moderator 2,757 posts
Rabski
This subject has been covered many times in many forums

My findings were (and the one i use for my Okki Nokko)  This formula dates back to eh KMAL cleaning machine

RECORD CLEANING FLUID
To make 1/2 (half) Litre.
400ml Triple Distilled Water
97.5ml Methyl Alcahol or Isoprypol.
2.5ml of Ilford Ilfotol or a few drops of turgitol.
Job done

Of course the Okki is vacuuming the solution off the record so the alcohol does not remain in contact for long .. whereas air dried it would sit there for longer until it evaporates.
Pretty much the same. It's the mix I've been using to clean records for at least 15 years and it doesn't seem to have done any harm so far.
 
Approx 25% isopropyl, 75% pure water (not 'ordinary' distilled) and a few drops of Ilfotol. I also use a vacuum machine though. I probably wouldn't want to leave LPs soaking in a cleaning solution.
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Tamed Shrew Member 646 posts
Tamed Shrew
I use the same classic mix as above. I then double dip in distilled water before vacuuming.

BTW for cleaning shellac 78s never use alcohol! You'll dissolve 'em.
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Hiesteem Member 805 posts
Hiesteem
I use a lens cleaning spray from the opticians in conjunction with the supplied lens cleaning cloth, for both vinyl and cd.
Seems to work ok, but my policy is if it doesn't need cleaning, don't.
Back in the eighties the mags recommended cleaning the stylus front to back as opposed to cleaning the vinyl.
Probably be considered damaging the stylus nowadays and not sure i would be so
Bold, given the cost of modern cartridges.
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Alan Oscroft Member 719 posts
Alan Oscroft
Distilled water and isopropyl in about the same proportions suggested by others (no need for precision), plus a few drops of photo wetting agent.
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