Can you hear the difference between a clean and a dirty record? Some people can, but most can’t. Yet, almost everyone agrees that vinyl records last longer when they are kept clean. The dirt and dust in the grooves wears down the stylus and causes excessive surface noise, so it’s good practice to keep records clean.

Record cleaning machines are an effective way to remove the dirt and debris from your records. There are different types of record cleaning machines available which vary in cost and complexity. In this article we will give you some tricks, tips, and information around record cleaning machines that will help you decide if a machine is right for you.

The Record Cleaning Process

Vinyl is a porous material, and that is why things like dust, smoke, and even skin oils can get trapped within it. This can make your records sound crackly and static-filled when you play them. A record cleaning machine can make vinyl records sound newer and more vibrant. We will discuss some tips and tricks for getting the most out of your record cleaning machine below.

You’ve invested in a quality turntable, you update your collection with the latest new releases, and you take good care of your vinyl. Now it’s time to consider getting a record cleaning machine.

If you’ve ever done a deep clean of your records by hand, you know just how much time and effort it can take. Luckily there are many products on the market that make cleaning records much easier. You may have questions about which RCM is right for you, so let’s go over some of the basics.

What is a Record Cleaning Machine?

A record cleaning machine is a device that can clean the dust, dirt and grime off of your vinyl records. Some machines use brushes or pads and others use vacuum power. The ultimate goal of the machine is to remove dust, dirt and debris from the records surface without damaging them. Why would I need one?

As you probably know, vinyl records are becoming very popular again. The main reason for this is due to the fact that vinyl just sounds better than digital music. That said, over time, your precious vinyl records can get pretty dirty especially if you have been playing them for years.

Even if you are new to the vinyl game, it is still recommended that you clean your records before playing them for the first time. New and old records alike will have dust, dirt and other debris on them from being in a warehouse or store for years. This wastes all the effort of having a great turntable with a great cartridge and stylus if it has to play through all of that junk on your record.

What are some different types of Record Cleaning Machines?

There are really two types of record cleaning machines: manual and automatic. A manual machine typically uses brushes or rollers to scrub

Next, let’s look at the different types of record cleaning machines. There are two categories: vacuum-based and fluid-based. Here are some of the most popular record cleaning machines:

Vacuum-Based Machines

VinylSavor RCM

Nitty Gritty 1.0X

Vpi HW-16.5

Fluid Based Machines

Spin Clean

Okki Nokki

Project Vinyl Cleaner VC-S2 Deluxe

RCM’s are great for removing dirt and grime from your records that you may have missed with a manual brush. They can also help remove static from the vinyl surface that attracts dust. Most RCM’s are about 20 inches tall and about 10 inches wide and 10 inches deep. You will need a decent amount of space to store and use one of these in your listening room or home stereo system area.

1. Dump the VINYL CEMENT as a cleaning product. Vinyl cement is hard to remove, especially if it has been on the record for a while. Cheap vinyl cement can leave a residue on your record that will not allow the stylus to track properly and will also cause a permanent bond between your stylus and your record groove.

2. Cleaning your records every time you play them will prolong their life considerably, especially if you have just picked up some used records from eBay or the local record store. Records have been known to come with dirt, dust, hair, food particles, oils from fingerprints, skin flakes on the surface and in the groove.

3. Be sure to clean both sides of your record at the same time with a record cleaning machine so that you can take note of any differences in sound quality. Be sure to use only distilled water for cleaning your records as it contains no minerals or chemicals that can damage your records over time or affect the sound quality of your record player and stylus.

4. If you are going to use a record cleaning machine be sure not to press too hard when cleaning, as this could damage or scratch the surface of your expensive and rare vinyl collection.

We live in a world where we can buy vinyl LP’s that are pressed on high quality virgin vinyl. We have record cleaning machines and high end vacuum tube phono stages to get the very best performance out of our records. Some of us even have turntables with ultra low resonance platters, tonearms and cartridges to extract every last bit of detail from the grooves.

But, before any of this is possible, all you have to do is remove the record from its jacket, put it on your turntable and give it a spin.

The purpose of a record sleeve is to protect the record while it is being transported to your home. Once it gets there, however, it should be removed from the sleeve immediately. This is because even if you take the greatest care in removing your records from their jackets, they will still be exposed to dust and dirt that can accumulate inside the jacket itself. Over time, this will transfer onto your records and cause damage as well as degrade their sound quality.

There are many types of sleeves out there but one thing they all have in common is that they’re made using some type of paper stock. The glue used by paper manufacturers isn’t designed for long term storage purposes so over time it will transfer its chemicals