How to Clean Vinyl Records

Jan 26, 2024

One of the best things about having a turntable is the massive selection of used—and often cheap—records out there. Building a collection is easy, but those records often come in less-than-ideal condition. Cleaning your records, both new additions and old ones, improves their sound quality and reduces the wear and tear on your stylus, so it won't need to be replaced as often.

There are many things you can use to clean and restore your record collection, from simple cloth wipes and sprays to expensive automatic cleaning machines that cost hundreds of dollars. We like the Spin-Clean Record Washer because it makes cleaning records an easy job that you can't mess up. And the price won't make beginners flinch.

I try to clean any record that is new to me, since I don't know how its previous owner treated it. Sometimes even new records come with a bit of dust and debris on them.

Setting up the Spin-Clean takes less than five minutes, and cleaning up is just as quick. I would count on three to five minutes per record, and you can do 20 to 50 records on a single batch of cleaning solution, depending on how dirty they are.

It's best to clean a full batch at once, so you don't waste the solution. But you can save the cleaning water for up to a week, as long as you remove the brushes and clean them when the Spin-Clean isn't being used.

I clean my records whenever I buy one, new or used, as well as when I notice a lot of dust or anything else building up on them. If you keep your records stored away when not in use and play them with the dust cover down, they’ll rarely need to be cleaned afterward.

Insert the cleaning brushes, and place the rollers at the correct position for the size of the record (12 inches, 10 inches, or 7 inches) you’re planning to clean. Fill the tank to the fill line with tap or distilled water, and then add a capful of cleaning solution directly to the brushes.

Set a towel down on your work surface, to place the records on when they’re done. And have the towels that came with the Spin-Clean ready to dry your records.

Insert a record into the Spin-Clean as far as it will go. It can take some pressure to place the record between the brushes, and the rollers will keep the center label from getting wet and damaged.

Then rotate the record three times clockwise, followed by three more times counterclockwise. You’ll need to apply steady pressure down and along the edge because the brushes have to make solid contact with the record to get it clean. If the record starts to slide out of the Spin-Clean, just press it back down and keep rotating it.

Let the excess water drip down into the Spin-Clean for a few seconds when you initially remove the record. Using the included cloths, dry the record in a clockwise motion on both sides. I do the initial pass with the record held vertically and then set the record flat on the towel to make it easier to dry.

Placing a damp record directly into its sleeve will trap moisture, which can damage the record sleeve and jacket. Giving your records a few hours or a day to dry will ensure the moisture has evaporated and the records are ready to be listened to.

Drain the water from the Spin-Clean, making sure to notice how much dirt has been dislodged from your records as you do. Wash the Spin-Clean and rollers with warm water and set aside. Remove the brushes, clean them with warm water, and then press out excess liquid before letting them dry on top of the Spin-Clean. Wash the towels so they are clean for next time. Place everything back in the box, and put it away until your next session.

Chris Heinonen

Chris Heinonen is a senior staff writer reporting on TVs, projectors, and sometimes audio gear at Wirecutter. He has been covering AV since 2008 for a number of online publications and is an ISF-certified video calibrator. He used to write computer software and hopes to never do that again, and he also loves to run and test gear for running guides.

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