Making An Old Record Sound New Again

When collecting vinyl records, you'll pay big time for sought after records in mint condition. That's why when you stumble across a record that is in OK shape, don't hesitate to pick it up and go home and clean it. This has worked wonders for several vinyl purchases of mine, including one I picked up last night.

I stumbled across a copy of The Beatle's 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' last night. It was reasonably priced, so I checked out the condition of the record. It was worn, but hey, the record came out in 1969. So I took it home to give it a good cleaning. When I started collecting records, I did some research into how to clean your vinyl. Some people will buy expensive machines. Some swear by water and a little dish soap. My process is simple and also inexpensive!

The first thing I always do is use a cloth or brush to remove dust particles and static from the record itself. Brushes and clothes will run you around five to ten dollars in stores and online. Then, I prepare my record cleaning solution. I use 2 parts distilled water to 1 part isopropyl alcohol, greater than 90%. Use a soft microfiber cloth and apply the solution. I gently rub in small circles around one side of the record and then the other. Let it dry and you're set to spin a clean record!