Record cleaning services??? --NYC

[nugs]

Cha, I hear you can take your records to certain people/stores to have them cleaned... I have some records that really need it but I cant afford a machine and I can't find any place that does it around the NYC area online. Has anyone done this or know of a place?

[AnorakTrev]

One way of cleaning records that I use all the time is to wash them in your sink ! Before you all raise up your arms in horror , this really does work . (tu) . I have an expensive cartridge (£700) so I wouldn`t be recommending this if it didn`t do its job !!

Get some non-aggressive washing up liquid with an enzyme additive such as Fairy Liquid . Turn on the taps so that the water is ONLY just warm . Drizzle a light spiral of washing-up liquid over the vinyl and with the water spraying on the record , use a very soft clean dish wipe/cloth to gently scrub in the playing area . Flip over and do the same to the other side . Then with COLD water running at full belt , holding the record at a 45 degree angle , thoroughly rinse all the grooves so that absolutely none of the residue is left . Place on a very clean tea-towel and dab and dry off the excess water .

DISCLAIMER : I have about 2000 LP`s . NONE have suffered any damage doing the above . ( Only clumsiness does the damage . ) Try it on an old record first , just to see if it works for you and the results are what you expect . It obviously is far cheaper !

[Rootsman]

Vodka mixed with distilled water is another way of cleaning vinyl records.

Think it was 1 part vodka to 6 parts distilled water, soak and wipe non abbrasive cloth and it literally lifts the dirt out of the grooves.

I have witnessed method and it really does work.

[Thomas]

Nice method Trev - I've tried cleaning records in a similar way but not with the cold at full belt. By using such a method I find that most of the excess water just runs off the cleaned disc.

I think this subject has been raised a couple of times before. See:
http://www.roots-archives.com/forum/rea ... 283,page=1

[nugs]

These methods sound good and I'll certainly try them. I know back in the day you could actually take your records to a shop and they would wash them for you in a machine and they check out and nice up your needle too... Not so much anymore I guess.

[AnorakTrev]

@ Rootsman

I will try your method on an old disc ! If it doesn`t work , I`d be able to drown my sorrows with the contents of said vodka bottle .....

@ nugs

Nowadays it costs about £1 - £1.50 here in the UK to have a record cleaned professionally , so it could end up quite expensive with a large quantity of discs !

[jumbo]

i dont use wodka, but rubbing/cleaning alcohol (65%or even 85%).. you can buy it at the drugstore, it's a lot cheaper than wodka, but you cant drink the leftovers..

just mix it with distilled water and soak

[cpeetz]

Good Records on the Lower East side has a VPI cleaning machine and Jonny the owner does clean records for people for a fee maybe with purchase a couple for free.
Plus it's one of the city's best record shops, I grabbed some heavy reggae pieces when I was there last fall.
Tell him cpeetz from Soul Strut sent you!