Nitty Gritty All Vinyl Cleaner: 16 Ounces
Specially formulated cleaning fluid for all vinyl which prevents contaminents from reattaching to the grooves during cleaning.The all vinyl cleaner is the stronger cleaner, capable of overpowering the most stubborn residue or grease. It contains a degreaser, a static neutralizer, a mild detergent, and surfactant Fluid does contain a small amount of pure alcohol. Will not leave any residues.
Clean Vinyl Records Sound Better and Last Longer
Cleanliness is absolutely mandatory if the optimum sound capability of the vinyl records is to be realized. A clean record will not only sound better, but last longer. It has been shown that repeated playing of soiled records can cause permanent damage to the vinyl. preserve of valuable or irreplaceable records requires careful cleaning. Further more, stylus, wear is greatly accelerated by playing dirty records, and with cartridges costing what they do these days, playing soiled records can lead to significant and unneeded expense.
Phonograph records are delicate, and very susceptible to damage and wear. Therefore a few techniques should be used when it comes to handling, cleaning and storage of your valued recordings.
There are essentially three concerns to consider when handling phonograph recordings. One that the record is kept free of foreign matter, Two that they be kept free of any pressure that might cause deformations such as warping and three that they are stored in a stable, controlled environment.
One can classify foreign matter as deposits which are not part of the original record, such as body oils from fingerprints, smoke, stains, stearic acids, dust etc.
Dust is commonly a mixture of flakes of human skin, minute particles of mineral or plant material, textile fibers, smoke, fingerprint oils and other organic and inorganic materials. There are often salts such as sodium chloride from fingerprints, and skin fragments and gritty silica crystals. Within this chemical mixture are the spore of countless molds, fungi and micro-organisms which live on the organic material in the dust (fingerprints make for a good culture). Mold loves vinyl, not vinyl per se but what is in the grooves. The paper dust and such that settles in the grooves, combined with the occasional wet cleaning, the dark confines of an album sleeve coupled with moderate temperature, all are extremely conductive to forming your own mold colonies. Much of this dirt is "hygroscopic" (water-attracting) and this tendency can encourage molds, as well as increases the corrosiveness of salts. Dust is an abrasive and combined with the pressure exerted on the groove walls by the stylus, can permanently etch the walls and worse the dust can be imbedded permanently into thermoplastic substances. Only a small point of the stylus is actually making contact with the groove walls, one and a half grams of stylus pressure on such a minute surface translates to several tons of pressure per square inch. The resulting drag generates enough heat that the plastic partially melts, though not enough to deform the vinyl but cause a microscopic flow around the stylus into which dust can be embedded permanently.
Stearic acids have always been a part of the making of vinyl in one form or another. After a record is pressed there will be thin film of these acids on the surface of the vinyl. The stearic acids found in vinyl formulation has a two-fold effect in the vinyl production process, they act as a record mold release agent but there primary purpose is to act as a buffer for the vinyl stamping process.
Did you know most records are positively charged with static electricity? This positive charge attracts dust and grime to the groove, resulting in clicks cracks and unwanted surface noise and also accelerated the deterioration of the stylus. Since dust is usually held in place by electrostatic attraction, dry wiping on its own does not effectively work. The added friction created by the duster will cause the dust to jump back to the charged surface.
NEVER...NEVER...NEVER...
Never store recordings on their sides or flat! Always maintain records in an absolutely vertical position. Remove the original manufacturers wrapping from records. These wraps will shrink over time, eventually warping the jacket and it's contents. Replace this "shrink wrap" with high density polyethylene, or "acid free" sleeves. Additionally, you should also replace regular paper or "acid bearing" inner sleeves, with Mylar or Polyethylene sleeves
Also available are rice paper inner sleeves from Japan, though these type of sleeves are a little expensive. Regular paper inner sleeves will scratch the surface of your recordings with every pass. And, certain plastic lined sleeves will create a chemical reaction with the record, while in storage.
Proper Storage your Records Environment
For long life and playability, proper storage of your recordings is paramount. Some of the factors to consider for the proper storage of discs are temperature and humidity, dirt and dust, improper stacking, excessive pressure and weight, and mechanical or chemical damage.
With respect to the enviroment, though not always practical, a constant temperature of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 degrees Celsius should be maintained. Plus a relative humidity of 45-50% is highly recommended. Avoid rapid changes in temperature and humidity, it could have a adverse effect on the life expectancy of your recordings.
Special attention should be placed on sunlight and on sources of heat such as heaters, vents, and artifical lighting. Also beware of high humidity and water. This will cause mould to grow on the album jackets, and within the inner sleeves causing unrepairable damage. Avoid dusty enviroments. Whenever possible, enclose your recordings in a relatively airtight container such as a cabinet with doors, or sealable boxes. Don't be afraid to lightly vacuum the area surrounding your records.
Replace dirty and mouldy record jackets and inner sleeves to avoid further damage to the discs. Do not store, in or around smokey or cooking areas. Smoke and cooking greases easily adhere to records and their jackets. | 
