Big Fudge Tip of the Month: Cleaning Used & Vintage Vinyl Records
Whether you love heading to your local record store, a secondhand shop, estate sales, or getting vinyl from online forums, you’ll probably get some pretty great deals on vintage and antique releases. It’s pretty understandable if these records aren’t exactly in great shape. No fear! With some simple restoration and cleaning, vinyl records can easily be brought back to life.
Cleaning and Restoring Vinyl Records
To restore old vinyl records, follow these simple steps:
- Assess whether or not your oldies can be saved.
- Use wood glue to catch dust and dirt.
- Follow regular cleaning, maintenance, and organization.
Can You Restore Used and Vintage Vinyl Records?
Simply put, dirty records can be cleaned. However, damaged records (i.e. overly scratched, scuffed, or warped) will sound bad no matter what you do. Be discerning when shopping for your music collection!
That said, there are some things you can do to bring back your records’ sound quality to a somewhat audible level.
Mythbusting the “Wood Glue Method”
Some vinyl record collectors swear by the “wood glue method”. Wood glue is generally good for restoration since it can adhere to hard-to-get bits of dirt or dust that get caught in between grooves.
However, between unpeeling the wood glue by hand once it’s dry and then waiting hours for your record dry after cleaning it, this dated process takes up a lot of time. It’s much better to consider cleaning kits designed to expedite cleaning records easily. After all, don’t you want to listen to your tunes ASAP?
Invest in a Record Cleaning Kit or Machine
If you have a particularly large collection, we understand that cleaning each record by hand can get pretty tedious. Luckily, you definitely have automated options out there, specifically with record cleaning machines that can spin records and wipe them clean automatically after you’ve sprayed cleaning solution.
Record cleaning kits and cleaning machines are definitely worthy investments, especially if you’ve already invested substantial time and money on a great record collection. Also, using a record machine reduces the risk of smudging a record’s grooves as you might do if you’re cleaning by hand.
Shop Vinyl Record Cleaning Supplies & Storage Boxes at Big Fudge
Whether you love the oldies or you’re ordering some favorite new releases off Amazon, maintaining and cleaning vinyl records is something that ensures your favorites stay sounding great for years to come.
Big Fudge is the leading online store for vinyl cleaning supplies, sleeves, cleaning kits, and storage boxes. Want to learn more about restoring and cleaning vinyl records? Check out our blog or contact us online.
