The General Public's Guide to Caring for Vinyl Records
As a music lover, and a man always on the lookout for a 'new' album to add to my collection, I am eager to 'do the right thing' when it comes to the care of my records. After careful research, and studying the habits of record owner's all over, I have written this guide based on my findings.
Handling
Of course, you should never handle a record by its edges as the pressure promotes warpage. Touching the grooved surface is a good thing, as the oils in your skin help to lubricate the playing surface, and keep it from wearing out. Feel free to lay the albums anywhere, leaving them out of their sleeves and giving the vinyl a chance to 'breathe'. Don't be shy when it comes time to play your album. The spindle hole is always too small when it comes from the factory, and widening it on the spindle is perfectly acceptable, and may even increase its value. Every vinyl aficionado knows that stab marks add character!
Cleaning
You never have to really clean your vinyl records unless your kids happen to smear peanut butter or whatever on them while they are playing 'Frisbee' with them. If you do have to clean them, then I would suggest racking them up in the dish washer. This way you can get them all clean at once, and get back to playing them! If you have a couple that need that 'extra' attention, then you should use some steel wool, and a generous application of 'Comet' or similar cleaner. Scrub good and hard, remembering to work against the 'grain' of the grooves. This will make sure the last little bit of goo and gunk is yanked out of the grooves! Never EVER use an Isopropyl Alcohol solution to clean your records, as this fluid dissolves vinyl on contact!
Storing
It is common knowledge that neither heat nor humidity affect vinyl records, so stacking them on a couple of shelves in the garage is perfectly fine. If you can, make sure they are as near to the doorway as possible so they can 'breathe' more easily. Putting them close to the floor is good, as the moisture keeps them from drying out. Stacking them flat, one on top of the other is good, as the weight keeps them all nice and flat. You can even remove the record from its sleeve and stack the jackets on the bottom and the vinyl on top. This is the best way, and even has the added advantage of making the albums easier to get to for playing! Don't worry about dust gathering on then top record, as it will create a protective layer, and can be easily blown or wiped off with your hands when play time comes.
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