Questions for folks who've used WD40 on a record...

[Dischoard]

First let me get this out there. This discussion is not to argue the pros/cons of using WD40 on a record. If you hate the idea, please glide past this post onto something else. This is for folks who've done it and aren't going to get bent-out-of-shape at anyone who has attempted it

So question, I have a record that, aside from not being cracked looked as though it's had a pretty rough life. It is grey and looks like it was stored in between two pieces of sandpaper and then squished between two other records. You know the kind I'm talking about. It was so bad I actually didn't want to even wear down a needle playing it except that the music on it was intriguing. So I thought "Now THIS is a record I can try WD40 on". I used a fresh steel needle on my Columbia 710 and it sounded great! At the end I noticed that there was a LOT of buildup on the tip of the needle and when I looked at it under a microscope I found microscopic bits of dust, debris, old needles, all had been picked up by the needle and taken out of the grooves. I've never seen that on a record before. Thinking it was a fluke I tried the second side and got the same result, almost like it flushed a bunch of crap out of the grooves.

Thinking it was just this record I dug through my collection to pull out another rough record. I played it once without WD40 (nothing ended up on the needle after) and then gave it WD40. Now when I say I put WD40 on it I mean I put the TINIEST amount on a paper towel and wiped it around the shellac being careful not to hit the label. Same thing! After 1 play the needle seemed to pull a bunch of debris out of the grooves! I played the record 3 times, it got less each time and the 4th time the needle was clean.

And so my question to the users of WD40 on rough records, have you ever noticed this phenomenon happening on your machines after playing a freshly treated record?

[Inigo]

I'm not wd40, but I used to wipe problematic records with Pronto, kind of creamy slippery wax sprayed on furniture to bring out gloss. I noticed the same phenomenon, and at the time I thought it was the creamy wax itself, extracted by the needle, with debris adhered to it. It was the same as in your case with the wd40. Very similar Indeed.

[epigramophone]

I have never tried using WD40, but I do use a multi surface aerosol polish designed for hard surfaces.
It does not contain wax and is not intended for use on wood.
It restores the gloss to the record surface and is even safe to use on the label.
On the first playing after treatment I also see a ball of gunk being collected by the needle.

[OrthoFan]

I've used WD-40 on a few records, in the past, with the same results. All of the hardened crud in the groove was loosened and appeared as a tiny black blob on the needle's tip. Repeated plays reduced the amount scraped away, but I also noticed more surface noise over time, compared to discs not sprayed with WD-40.

Now, if a (shellac based) record needs cleaning, I apply a tiny bit of dish soap on a rag and wash the surface, scrubbing in the direction of the groove, then rinse and dry it carefully. When using a "wet wash" process, it's important to avoid the label.

I once tried spray wax (Pledge!) on a record, but the results were terrible. The record sounded mushy and indistinct. Fortunately, I was able to clean off the residue using the soap and water method.

OrthoFan

[Inigo]

The Pronto creamy thing, Johnson& Johnson product, did not harm to the records, and it also waxed the labels glossy beautifully, so you could read the golden lettering (in some HMV labels) that was disappearing, and could not be read in normal status... It also left a perfumed scent on the records.... I used it when young. Later I switched to the mild soap and water system. But for these dead labels I apply wax or lacquer with a cotton rag ball. They remain in a shiny appearance very attractive, and they look more colourful and clear. As of you improve clarity and contrast to the labels.

[gunnarthefeisty]

Everyone who's tried it says it's wonderful, so I guess I'll give it a try and report back. This would be awesome if it works, as I'm too lazy to properly clean them.

[Dischoard]

My records always get the soap and water treatment and I've found actually that most labels clean well (all Victor records, Perfect, Vocalion, etc) though there are a few that tend to splotch or run when wet too long (Capitol, some matte finish Columbias). Those labels I avoid.

But even after this cleaning the WD40 is tending to still remove gunk that was left behind. It is because of that that I won't play these records on any sort of modern turntable, at least not until the gunk has stopped popping up. But I usually find that records that rough aren't the best on a more modern system anyway, too much surface noise. They get the steel-needle-only treatment.