All things vinyl

When people think about making record cleaning a little more environmentally friendly, the obvious temptation is to look for a new product with greener packaging, a different bottle or some other eco-friendly feature.

Sometimes, though, the greener option is much simpler. If you've already got a perfectly good record cleaning spray bottle, brush, cloth or pad, the most sensible thing may be to keep using it.

You don't need to replace the whole kit just because the fluid has run out.

Reuse the things that still work

A good record cleaning kit can last a long time. Spray bottles can...

If you've already got a vinyl record cleaning spray bottle, brush or cloth that does the job perfectly well, there’s no real reason to replace the whole kit just because the cleaning fluid has run out.

In most cases, the simplest answer is just to refill the bottle and carry on using the equipment you already have. That can be particularly useful for record collectors, because once you've found a cleaning routine and a set of tools you like, you probably don't want to keep buying the same accessories again and again.

You don't need a VinylClear kit first

This...

Why It’s Confusing — and What Actually Works

If you spend any time looking into vinyl record cleaning, it doesn’t take long before things become confusing. There are countless products. Each one claims to be:

• deeper cleaning
• safer
• more advanced
• more “audiophile”

Some recommend alcohol. Others warn against it. Some rely on brushes. Some suggest cloths. Others insist on machines.

Most of the claims are made confidently. Very few are explained clearly. So the question...

A Simple Routine for Quiet Records

One of the first questions new vinyl collectors ask is surprisingly simple.

How often should records be cleaned?

The short answer is: not as often as you might think — but more often than many people do.

Vinyl records don’t require constant maintenance, but they do benefit from a simple routine that prevents dust from building up in the groove.

Understanding when to clean records helps preserve both sound quality and the life of your stylus.

Choosing the Best Cloth for Cleaning Vinyl Records

Anyone who has collected vinyl for a while eventually notices something.

There are endless gadgets designed to clean records.

Velvet brushes.
Carbon fibre brushes.
Gel pads.
Ultrasonic machines.

Yet in many professional studios and archival environments the actual cleaning process is surprisingly simple.

Fluid.
Cloth.
Care.

Which raises a sensible question.

Can you clean vinyl records with a microfiber cloth?

The short answer is yes.