The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

ArtVan wrote:Someone gave me some records which were not taken very good of over the years. They have different kinds of gunk on them. What is the best thing to use to try and clean these up without causing anymore damage to them? Is it safe to use rubbing alcohol on them? One record looks like it has tiny specs of paint not sure if there is anyway to get that off.

DO NOT USE RUBBING ALCOHOL ON SHELLAC RECORDS!!! Alcohol is a shellac solvent... Specs of paint can usually be removed by scraping them off with a finger nail or pen knife blade, if necessary. Clean them up initially with water (don't get water on the labels or they will dissolve or peel) and see what condition they appear to be in. I use WD-40 to clean up rough records, but my method is considered controversial by various people, even though it works just fine and I have been doing it for 40 years...

Curt A wrote:

ArtVan wrote:Someone gave me some records which were not taken very good of over the years. They have different kinds of gunk on them. What is the best thing to use to try and clean these up without causing anymore damage to them? Is it safe to use rubbing alcohol on them? One record looks like it has tiny specs of paint not sure if there is anyway to get that off.

DO NOT USE RUBBING ALCOHOL ON SHELLAC RECORDS!!! Alcohol is a shellac solvent... Specs of paint can usually be removed by scraping them off with a finger nail or pen knife blade, if necessary. Clean them up initially with water (don't get water on the labels or they will dissolve or peel) and see what condition they appear to be in. I use WD-40 to clean up rough records, but my method is considered controversial by various people, even though it works just fine and I have been doing it for 40 years...

Unless they're Diamond Discs, in which case alcohol is recommended, and water is not...

(Since the OP had been talking about an Edison machine, I thought that the records might possibly be Edisons).

- Bill

The OP's friend might have given him regular 78s thinking they'd play on an Edison.

It's a confusing world out there OP with old format wars, but you will figure it out soon enough.

I am using records that are ¼" thick on my Edison Phonograph. Not sure what they are exactly called. Think they are 78 rpm.

ArtVan wrote:I am using records that are ¼" thick on my Edison Phonograph. Not sure what they are exactly called. Think they are 78 rpm.

Those are usually called Diamond Discs by collectors. As noted, you clean those with alcohol, taking care not to get alcohol on the edges of the records or any paper labels.

The correct speed for these is 80 rpm.

I specified not using alcohol on "shellac" records... Diamond Discs are NOT shellac, just to clear up any confusion... Most experienced collectors know the difference, but when bringing new collectors up to speed, you have to cover all the bases...

Water won't hurt shellac records, but will hurt Diamond Discs... Alcohol won't hurt Diamond Discs, but will hurt normal 78 shellac records... I think that covers it.

WD-40 won't hurt either type... I just had to throw that in...