Vinyl Community Lazy Dawg's Records #11 Homebrew Record Cleaning Fluid
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- If you clean a lot of records, purchasing commercial record cleaning solution can get expensive. Here is my recipe for a very safe, effective, and inexpensive solution. It is based on suggestions from others, research, trial and error, and a little experimentation.
Since I made this video I've found that you can reduce the amount of 10% Triton X100 in the mixture to 1 oz per gallon and still get good results. The lesser amount of Triton X100 in the solution makes it much easier to rinse all the residue off the record thus avoiding any veiling affect on the sound. I've also stopped using basins and gone to spray bottles, brushing and vacuuming. I have a video on this method along with updated solution mixtures. Just search my channel for the, "A Guide To Cleaning Records" video.
FYI:
Triton X100 can be replaced by Tergitol 15S9. Tergitol is biodegradable and has lower toxicity than Triton.
@@danender5555 So true Dan. When I use up my X100 supply I plan to switch to the 15 S 9, besides the toxicity issue it is a little more efficient.
@@elliottcrews4997 I've just ordered a Tergikleen, which is based on Tergitol mixture.
For a cleaning process I consider 90% of distilled water (with a few drops of Tergikleen) and 10% of isopropyl alcohol. Once record is cleaned I rinse it with clean distilled water.
Some say they use white vinegar instead of alcohol.
Have you tried the methods? If so, what are the results?
@@danender5555 Dan, I haven't tried using the Tergikleen but it is my understanding that it is a combination of 15 S 9 and 15 S 7? I would favor sticking with just the 15 S 9, but I don't think there is anything wrong with the Tergikleen. 10% isopropyl alcohol is about right. I don't think there is any need to try the vinegar unless you are trying to clean extremely dirty records. I haven't used vinegar but have used Citrinox which does the same thing, basically an acid wash. In almost all cases I couldn't really improve the sound with the acid wash, as I believe a conventional cleaning will result in about as good a result as you are ever going to get. When there is still surface noise, pops, crackles after that good cleaning it is almost always groove damage that can't be fixed. I do use a 2 cleaner process these days. I start with a pre-clean with Liquinox followed by a clean with the solution I show in this video. And each step is followed of course by a distilled water rinse. Good luck and let me know what kind of results you get.
@@elliottcrews4997As I know, Tergikleen mixture of Tergitol 7 and 9 is used to balance of their different densities.
I used to clean the records with some proprietary mixtures, good for cleaning, but the level of residue left on the surface after rinse was not acceptable.
That's why I am about to try the mixture so I know exactly its composition.
I do not use ultrasonic bath, just a spin cleaner with a soft goat hair brushes.
Will come back once I have some results...
4 years ago I gallon of distilled water costed 88 cents. That’s crazy.
It is! I think the gallon I bought last week was $1.68 or $1.88.
I make my own also, I use Distilled water, Alcohol, Dawn Dish soap and dishwasher drying agent. i have a Vacuum system I purchased on audio advisor for 299. works fantastic.
Hi Gary, thanks for watching and responding! I vacuum as well, I vacuum coming out of the basin then go to a rinse basin and vacuum again. I think vacuuming makes a difference.
Instead of alcohol I use distilled white vinegar works great
I have heard of that.
Hi Elliott. I do the same thing. I used to buy the store-bought stuff but found they did a moderate job, at best. I think they were stingy with their detergent. I also collect old 78's and have to make my own alcohol-free stuff anyway, so I might as well make two different batches. One for 78s and one for vinyl LPs with alcohol in the mix. Good, logical advice. Thanks. Cheers.
Hi Chris, thanks for stopping by. I probably should have mentioned going alcohol free when cleaning 78s. I'm glad you did!
Hi Elliott, very helpful seeing others' cleaning formulas. Yours is similar to mine with the distilled water, iso alcohol and detergent, but definitely a little more thorough - at least in your description of what each ingredient does! I think i've been using less detergent as a surfactant than you so I will try upping the levels there. Have to say the floculent is new to me, but your reasoning in skipping is sound to me. I think I also need a second basin to rinse after I run the record thru the spin-clean. thank you for sharing, cheers- Dean
Hi Dean, thanks for responding. I think my detergent comes in at between 0.3 and 0.5 % as I'm putting in 4 or 5 oz. of 10% Triton X-100 in a gallon of solution. I really think a rinse is important. I vacuum after the basin and then rinse, then vacuum again. That last vacuum is just to dry so I can put it back in a sleeve and jacket immediately. Take Care, Elliott
Very thorough overview of your cleaning solution. I love getting others opinions and insight on this topic. If you ever want to go through your cleaning process I wouldn't complain. 😀 Thanks for sharing this with us Elliott! I really hope to get a vacuum system at some point.
Chemistry with Elliot. That is a lot cheaper then the stuff you buy at the store. You really got this all worked out. Have a good week Elliot. Steve
Thanks Steve,........You know I was almost a Rocket Scientist, only one thing got in the way....................that E I got in high school chemistry. HaHa!!!!!!!!!!
Very informative. But how about just tossing them in the dishwasher?
I'm not sure I would want to wash records in the dishwasher. I'd love to see a video demonstration of that.
Have you ever tried "Record Revirginizer", Elliot? It's quite good but expensive. The name is misleading. It won't change your scratched vinyl to virgin status again but it seems to remove all the gunk from the grooves.
Hi Sun thanks for taking a look at the video. I've never tried that one. It would be interesting to know what is in it. Maybe it could be used on more valuable records that don't clean up as well as hoped. Take care friend.
I too make my own, I have always used dawn maybe I will try out the X100. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for stopping by and watching. The Dawn always worked for my but the X100 was a suggestion from someone I corresponded with online. It may be overkill but it was an inexpensive change just to be on the safe side. Take care friend.
Lowes and Home Depot do not Carry Triton x 100 man. Where the hell am I gonna get that from? Ha
Try a janitorial supply store or buy it online. I got mine from either Amazon or Ebay, can't remember which. It shouldn't be that difficult to find in the United States. If you are outside the US is may be difficult to find.
Well, I got a couple of ?'s answered here. I am using a Spin Clean with a Record Doctor 5 to finish up. Triton X-100 is the surfactant in Photoflo. Tergitol is slightly deeper cleaning but may leave a brighter play back. I had heard distilled white vinegar is a great aid to detergent referred to as a rinse agent. It helps remove the dirt. I think in the end any immersive treatment should be followed with a rinse bath. Elliot, thank you for this post.
thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate the information about Triton being an ingredient in Photoflo, didn't know that!
One poster I read stated Photoflo is a soup. Kodak will not reveal its contents so he does not use it to preserve his vinyl. I had no idea of the complexity of the vinyl cleaning issue. Best approach would be to have cautious approach and rinse after last wet bath. Vacuum dry rapidly. I am more focused on cleaning than listening. Change that!
Do you need to use alcohol?
It is debatable. Some don't use it. If you are cleaning 78s don't use it as it will harm the record. But for vinyl records as long as you don't use too much it is safe. I wouldn't go over 30% iso alcohol in a solution, and have found that about 10% works well for me. But bottom line, no you don't have to use alcohol.
You can also use a dishwasher for like 510 minutes no more than 510 minutes because I have a window so either just plain dishwasher and don’t even longer they will it will work the records but just enough to get it you’ve done it even gets stubborn dirt out of it
So question i got the second part of your recipe but taking out 13 oz of water from the 128 would be more than what you had visible in your 1st jug. So was that an empty container that you put 13 oz in?
The container I was showing in the video was one I was currently using, that's why it was only partially full. That was the part about getting the detergent from 100% to 10%. Remove 13 oz from a full gallon of distilled water and add in 13oz of the 100% Triton X-100. Put the 100% Triton X-100 back up on the shelf, you don't need it anymore. Now take the 10% jug of detergent and use it when you mix up the solution you are going to clean records with. You are going to take another gallon of distilled water and pour out 18oz, pour 5oz from the 10% jug of detergent and 13 oz from the bottle of iso alcohol and that will give you a gallon of cleaning solution. I hope that answers your question.
@@elliottcrews4997 yes sir thank you! By the way not sure if you are a movie buff but it felt like that scene from Die Hard III when they had to fill up the jugs to stop what turned out to be a fake bomb from blowing up lol
@@che1925 Ha!!! I'll have to go back and watch that one!
@@elliottcrews4997 quick question if I go without alcohol how will that handle the measurement of the the 18 oz from the other being the solution added with surfactant is 5oz detergent and 13oz isopropyl alcohol?
@@che1925 just take out 5oz of water and replace with 5 of detergent
The commercial cleaners are way, way overprices. Thanks for sharing!
Yes they are. Thanks for watching!
@@elliottcrews4997 Sorry for the typo. Typing with a cat on my lap.
@@offthebeatentracks4515 I didn't even notice, had to go back to find the typo!!! I taught 8th graders for 3+ decades so I read right over stuff like that! ;>)
Where did you get the second basin for record cleaning?
It is a Studebaker I got from Amazon or ebay can't remember which. I think I paid $35 for it.
triton x is $150 a gallon now
Oh wow! I guess it's a result of the pandemic supply shortages? Hopefully it will be back down sooner than later.