The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

WDC wrote:

Ortho_Fan wrote:Just to hammer in the point made above, and based on my sad experience when I was a newbie

I friend of mine recently started with that and I am still concerned about this method, even it looked like it worked. I know that Windex contains alcohol but the cleaned records still looked and played fine after cleaning. Can you give any details of your bad experience with using Windex? Was there a long-term effect?

What I noticed was a gradual deterioration of the surface after cleaning some records using Windex. This was many years ago, and I no longer remember what the labels or records were. I do remember that after cleaning them, it only took a few plays before the sound quality became garbled, and there was noticeable black grit on the needle point. (I knew, even then, to always use a fresh steel needle.) I asked a collector friend about this and he told me never to use Windex or similar types of cleaners on 78s -- only mild detergent and distilled water, as recommended above. I've followed this advice for the past 30 years, and never had any problems.

OF

More than likely the ingredience of Windex has changed over the years, and it probably had a higher alcohol content 30 years ago. I still wouldn't use Windex because it still does contain alcohol, and alcohol is the very thing that dissolves shellac.
I look at cleaning records as I do for cleaning my hands. To remove dirt & oils etc, I wash my hands with soap & water, and that's what I use on records too.
The only reason I would ever use any type of solvent on a record, is if there was paint or some other substance on a disc that soap & water wouldn't remove- same as my hands.

Thanks a lot for clarification on the Windex case. I was quite suspicious about that the very first time. Regular dish washing liquid is what I have used over years which never caused any problems. So, I better stick to that method.

gramophone78 wrote:Another Canadian...... . Brad, I use a mild dish soap with a warm water and a soft toothbrush. After I finnish. I give it a last rinse with distilled water (leaves no deposits) and let air dry.
Hope that helps. Also, try to avoid wetting the label as much as you can.

This is what I do with my disc. Never had problems..

I've noticed (or think I have noticed) that after soap & water washing some 78s (mostly scroll Victors) that it increases the graininess of the surface. Anybody else run into that?

-Martin