How do I clean and store vinyl records properly?

Records are damaged by three things: physical contact with the groove, heat, and being stored badly. All three are entirely preventable and none of them can be undone.

What you'll need

• A carbon fibre brush
• Anti-static poly-lined inner sleeves
• A record cleaning solution and microfibre cloth (optional)
• Outer sleeves (optional)

Step by step

1. Handle by the edges and label only.Fingers on the playing surface leave grease that attracts dust and builds into the groove. Spread your fingers on the edge and use the label as the second contact point.
2. Brush before every play.A carbon fibre brush held lightly against the record as it turns on the platter, for two or three rotations, then lifted outwards. It removes loose dust that would otherwise be ground into the groove by the stylus.
3. Clean properly when needed.A dedicated record cleaning fluid and a microfibre or velvet pad, worked with the groove in a circular direction, then dried. Never use household cleaners, alcohol on shellac, or anything abrasive.
4. Dry records fully before sleeving.Damp records in sleeves grow mould and stick to the paper. Let them dry completely on a rack or a clean cloth.
5. Replace paper inner sleeves.Plain paper sleeves scuff the surface every time the record goes in and out, and they shed fibres. Poly-lined anti-static sleeves cost very little and are the single best upgrade for a collection.
6. Store them vertically.Upright, supported so they do not lean, and never stacked flat. Stacking puts the weight of the pile onto the grooves and warps records permanently.
7. Do not pack them too tightly.Tight enough to stay upright, loose enough to pull one out without forcing it. Excessive pressure warps the discs and splits the sleeves.
8. Keep them away from heat and sunlight.Vinyl warps at surprisingly low temperatures. A radiator, a sunny window, a loft or a car boot will warp a record, and a warped record cannot be reliably flattened.
9. Control humidity.Damp encourages mould on the sleeves and the record. A stable indoor room is fine; a garage, cellar or loft is not.
10. Use outer sleeves for valuable covers.Clear polythene outer sleeves protect the artwork from ring wear and shelf scuffing, which is often what determines the value of a collectable record.
11. Look after the stylus too.A worn or dirty stylus damages every record it plays. Brush it gently back to front and replace it at the interval the maker states — typically several hundred to a thousand hours.
12. Put records away after playing.Left out on the platter or leaning against furniture, they collect dust and get knocked. The single most common cause of damage is simply not putting them back.

Tips

• Never stack records flat. It is the fastest way to warp a collection.
• Replace paper inner sleeves with anti-static ones — the cheapest meaningful upgrade there is.
• A worn stylus damages every record it touches. Replace it on schedule.

Common mistakes

• Storing records in a loft, garage or by a radiator — Vinyl deforms at temperatures well below what feels hot, and warps are effectively permanent. Damp in the same spaces also grows mould on sleeves and playing surfaces.
• Cleaning records with household cleaners or alcohol — Solvents and detergents can attack the vinyl and leave residues in the groove that attract dust. On older shellac records, alcohol dissolves the disc itself.

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