Best Vinyl Record Cleaners

Each devoted vinyl connoisseur wants to buy the best record cleaner to maintain their precious albums in a perfect condition. With the growing assortment available on the market, it is increasingly challenging to find an optimal solution. The article below is a comprehensive analysis that should help you make a well-informed choice.

Our pick

Spin-Clean MKII Complete Kit

The best Vinyl Record Cleaner

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Enjoy better sounding vinyl records with Spin Clean MKII record washer, you will have everything you need to clean and maintain your LPs.

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Vinyl Record Cleaners Comparison Table

Reviews of Top Vinyl Cleaning Products

There are countless types of vinyl cleaning products. For convenience, we have divided them into categories.

Best Record Cleaning Kits

Spin-Clean Record Washer MKII Complete Kit

According to the manufacturer’s words, this vinyl record vacuum cleaner is fast, easy to use, and suitable for both experienced and novice vinyl lovers. Lifetime warranty is provided, which is a limited offer in the market for music products.

A device cleans both sides of a record at once and makes minimal noise. It can be used autonomously without a turntable. Installation does not require much effort due to a cleaner’s convenient construction.

By placing a single order, you can get everything necessary for successful record cleaning. The following accessories are provided in a kit: cleaning fluid prepared according to the latest technologies and not containing alcohol, basin, brushes, rollers, and drying cloth.

Spin-Clean Record Washer seems to be a good buy. However, when I was almost ready to call it the best record cleaning kit, some nuances made me hesitate. Let’s take a look at the key pros and cons.

Vinyl Styl Deep Groove Record Washer System

With the cleaner itself, you will get the following accessories: drying rack, cleaning fluid, protection clamp wheel, RPM adapter, reusable funnel, strainer, 3 filters, and manufacturer’s instructions. It is assumed that you can entrust the whole process to a smart machine and count on a refreshed sound of your records.

The manufacturer has given vinyl cleaners a new look and enriched it with modern traits. Most DJ’s would like to have such a good-looking device in their toolkit. It would fit organically into any club’s design.

However, users report that this kit leaves residue. It makes records shiny and neat but worsens sound. While playing, this chemical residue plasters on a stylus. It is necessary to stop the music and clean it. Records should be cleaned manually as well. If all this is true, you will have to make all the work on your own and the device will rather dirty app your vinyl than clean it.

So, is it a wise investment? Let’s summarize the models’ weak and strong sides. I researched the feedback of those who have marked the kit with five stars and witnessed its advantages and those who claimed that they had got a relatively cheap and beautiful device that stands on their table like a decoration and does no real work.

Record Friend

This kit with a nice name includes cleaner, spinner machine, set of brushes and rollers, cleaning solution, cloth, and record rack. Fluid supplied in a kit is enough to process 500 albums. The manufacturer provides lifetime guarantee.

Even people without record cleaning experience would quickly understand how to use this simple mechanism. In addition, set up is elementary. You can clean records of various sizes. Both sides will be treated simultaneously by a few gentle but effective spins.

The device works smoothly and delicately thanks to microfiber brushes. Therefore, none of your records would be damaged and lose its original sound as it sometimes happens with other cleaners that pretend to be extra powerful.

However, even though the manufacturer praises its soft brushes, 1-star reviews inform that they are of poor quality and quickly wear out.

Also, chemicals have an unpleasant smell. This is an obstacle for those who treat the care for their precious vinyl collections as a sacred ritual. In addition, the fewer chemicals get to our organism the healthier we are. Therefore, this drawback brings both moral and physical inconvenience.

So, is it really a friend worthy of your trust and a title of the best vinyl cleaner? It’s up to you to decide, keeping in mind its pros and cons.

Big Fudge

This kit consists of a small bottle with 50 ml of alcohol-free cleaning spray, an antistatic velvet brush, an all-purpose brush, and a stylus brush. I like that all this Big Fudge set comes in a pouch, which makes it very convenient to keep everything all in one place.

The velvet brush included in this kit has been finished and engraved really well. In contrast to other record brushes produced from carbon fiber, the soft velvet Big Fudge brush did not leave any scratches on my precious vinyl.

Best Record Cleaning Brushes

Vinyl Buddy Record Cleaner

This tool has a sticky roller for picking up debris and other small participles from a record surface. It is much simpler than cleaning kits. You will not have to buy a dozen accessories that may wear out and require change. In general, this solution is for those who want to simplify the cleaning process as much as possible and save their money.

There is no need to take a record off a turntable and put it in a special device. You can make a few rotations and collect all the debris, even from deep grooves, on a roller. Also, it is extremely easy to care for this brush – just rinse it with water from time to time.

Some vinyl connoisseurs claim it is the best record cleaner due to the fact that, in contrast to traditional brushes, it does not smear participles. A sticky roller thoroughly processes the surface and picks up all the dust and debris.

However, keeping a cleaner under an inappropriate angle, you risk damaging your record. A strong enough hit can completely destroy it. Also, once dust plasters on a roller, it will lose its original useful properties and not regain them, even if you regularly rinse it with water.

VinylVac 33

This cleaning device is a wand (a tube) equipped with a vacuum system efficiently absorbing dust and dirt. The manufacturer recommends using this tool at the end of a cleaning session, after cloth and a cleaning solution, in order to make sure even the deepest grooves are thoroughly processed.

Along with the cleaner, you will get a set of replacement pads, o-ring, two suction reducers, felt washer, and soft velvet pads. Sellers are so confident in the high quality of their product that they are ready to return you money if a device works inappropriately.

However, the one inconvenience is that with a belt-driven turntable, you will have to rotate a record manually by one hand, while keeping a tube in the second hand. This is very inconvenient.
Satisfied customers claim it is the best vinyl record cleaner, while there are also some objections.

Collector Protector

This tool has an easy operation principle. Holding it at a 90-degree angle to the record spinning on a turntable, you can conduct dry dusting or wet cleaning by involving a spray. Dry dusting is recommended before and after playing a record. The manufacturer also recommends processing new records since they are not always 100% clean. Bristles of the brush should be treated carefully since their aggressive use can cause shedding. 2-year warranty of flawless operation is provided.

However, according to customer feedback, fibers constantly fall out on record surface, polluting it rather than cleaning. Therefore, brush can quickly lose its useful properties. It suits only new records, which is not a big deal. Also, the nozzle on the spray bottle breaks quickly.

At first glance, this brush seems the best vinyl cleaner, but some buyers got disappointed. Let’s consider what is good and bad about it.

Record Cleaning Velvet Brush

This brush has an elementary construction and application principle. Sellers provide a 2-year satisfaction guarantee of flawless operation. Like in the previous case, you can apply it to a record spinning on a turntable. Also, a record can lie on a static surface. But then you should move the brush in the same way as with a turntable.

Dry brushing may be conducted daily, while cleaning solution, which is provided in the kit, is helpful when it is necessary to eliminate deep dirt. Also, you will get a stylus brush for free. Since a velvet brush collects dirt, after prolonged use, it should be soaked in soapy water and then dried with a towel.

Keep in mind that velvet can fall off from a cover, and you will need to use glue or a special grip to bring the parts together. It is much easier and less expensive to buy a regular microfiber cloth and a solution in the nearest music store.

Liquid leakage is a common problem. Instead of experiencing the pleasure of testing a new tool, customers had to clean the messy and sticky solution. It was necessary to tighten the top of the bottle in order to prevent leakage in the future.

Best Record Cleaning Machines

Record Doctor V

The manufacturer claims this device to be the best record cleaning machine in its price sector and provides the following in the kit: record turner, bonus roller bearing, a bottle with fluid, and applicator brush.

Even though vinyl lovers do not have to overpay for an expensive motor, their user experience becomes a bit worse. Those who value their time and energy and want to simplify the cleaning process as much as possible claim that this is not the best record cleaning machine.

Buyers report that mold emerges, and its spores fly out into the room every time a machine is used. Plus, their albums started to sound worse, even when meticulously adhering to the user instructions.

Kirmuss Audio’s KA-RC-1

This excellent record cleaner consists of an ultrasonic cleaning unit, a patented record washer assembly and sonic-control process, a drain hose, and a sturdy AC power cord. The appliance’s dimensions are approximately 21.3″ x 13.3″ x 10.9″. Plus, there is an IEC AC power inlet and a power switch on the rear. The machine can clean 12″, 10″, and 7″ records well. Compared to other methods I used to clean up my recordings, the KA-RC-1 gave results that ranged from no sound changes to more open sound.

It’s great that when you start the record cleaning machine, you have a choice: change the cleanup time, or start with the five-minute default. This model has a timer that keeps track of the countdown during a selected process. Underneath the clock, you will find a set of lights indicating the process. On top of that, Kirmuss Audio’s KA-RC-1 is easy to move thanks to the built-in handles on the chassis.

Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner

This tool is an attachment for 6-liter cleaners. It can be connected to a power grid and function without manual manipulation. Adjustment for any standard model is possible. You can connect additional components to clean two records at once or enable fast drying. Records are mounted vertically in a magnet system. A 1-year warranty is provided.

This model is for those who know what they want rather than those who prefer ready solutions. That is why newbies often opt for easier to use and more common mechanisms.

This device is often featured among the best record cleaning machines. However, it also has some disadvantages.

Best Record Cleaning Fluids

Lasermedia VNC-8

Instead of buying complex cleaning machines and kits, you can purchase special fluid and process your vinyl with a usual cloth or microfiber brush. Spray a solution on a record and gently process it to eliminate dirt. It is important to move in the direction of grooves and not across them. Make sure vinyl dries before playing.

Lasermedia VNC-8 is called one of the best cleaning liquids on the market. The manufacturer claims the leading US archives prefer their product due to natural and harmless solution without alcohol and ammonia, de-ionized and thoroughly filtered water base. However, some dissatisfied buyers claim that they just overpaid for a popular brand, while the same cleaning effect can be achieved with regular distilled water.

Boundless Cleaner Fluid

Every vinyl record player owner should know about this alcohol-free record cleaning fluid. It is completely safe to use on all types of vinyl, including shellac records. The special thing about this vinyl cleaner is that the fluid contains modern anti-static agents and leaves no residue. Apart from getting rid of the dust and fingerprints, I noticed less background hiss on some of the dirtier records. After cleaning my vinyl records with this solution, I could enjoy the highest-fidelity sound.

LAST Factory Record Preservative

You will get 4 bottles with cleaning liquids that enhance connections between molecules and make vinyl more stable. After cleaning, records can be played a hundred times and sustain no damage from a stylus. Therefore, future generations will get your albums in perfect condition. You should wait only 30 seconds to let the solution get deep into the grooves and settle there, thus creating a protective cover.

The manufacturer LAST Factory assures that this kit is the best vinyl cleaner that was approved by picky reviewers and reputable vinyl album editors. It is worth noting that the price is relatively high. Those who are looking for an inexpensive fluid often opt for less popular brands.

Best Record Cleaning Sleeves

Mobile fidelity sound lab inner sleeves

Sleeves are used to protect the vinyl from dust and dirt. If you put each record in a separate package, the effect from cleaning would last longer. The kit by Mobile Fidelity includes 50 sleeves. Each of them has three plies (1 paper layer sandwiched between 2 high-density polyethylene layers).

Mobile Fidelity has been on the market for over 35 years. Such reputable companies usually do not risk distributing low-quality products because they value their brand’s good name.

Buyer’s Guide

As the last pep talk, we will answer some commonly asked questions.

What are the cleaning options for vinyl?

You can opt for dry brushing or wet cleaning. In the first case, a brush should be used prior to and after every playing. In the second case, a special fluid should be used to conduct thorough cleaning from time to time and get rid of dirt sitting deep in the groves.

Wet cleaning can be conducted manually or using special machines. Cleaning fluid can be bought or prepared single-handedly.

What are the things to avoid

• Never apply household cleaning solutions to your albums. They can provoke detrimental chemical reactions.
• If you do not conduct dry brushing before wet cleaning, you will only turn dust into the dirt and leave stains.
• Do not use rough towels that can leave scratches or static.

What are the rules of thumb?

• It is better to clean records before and after every playing.
• Your fingers should be dry and clean. Limit contact with the record surface and touch edges only.
• Keep a turntable’s lid closed in order to prevent dust accumulation.
• Store your records in sleeves and make sure packing is clean.
• Apply soft and lint-free microfiber cloths and only those liquids that are approved for vinyl.
• Regularly clean your stylus since it can transmit dirt to records.
• Use turntable mats with anti-static properties.

Can alcohol be used for cleaning?

There is a heated controversy. Some collectors swear by iso alcohol, while others warn of potential damage. Opponents state that this element can remove plasticizers from the vinyl and make the groove brittle. So if you use it as part of your cleaning process, better rinse the record after with distilled water to wash away remnants.

We hope this guide proves useful and helps you choose the best record cleaner.