How to Recognize Different Types of Record Cleaning Fluids and More...

In response to questions and comments on a primer I posted last week on Record Cleaning Fluids (RCFs), I have here additional information that may be helpful to you. The summary for the primer has also been revised to reflect your comments, questions and corrections.

How to Recognize Different Types of Record Cleaning Fluids

We have seen that different types of RCF require slightly different cleaning procedures. But since their ingredients are usually not listed, you have to first figure out which fluid you have in your bottle. That’s actually pretty easy. All you have to do is shake it, smell it and touch it.

Alcohol-Based RCF

1. Foaming. It does not foam persistently when you shake it.

2. Smell. It smells like…an alcohol. Methanol, ethanol and Isopropyl alcohol (or propanol) smell slightly different but share a family scent that we all know quite well.

3. Touch. All alcohol-based RCF evaporates easily leaving that cool feeling on your skin. Unless they contain other additives (e.g. lubricants) these RCFs are thin (non-viscous) like water.

4. Special Care. Scrub vigorously during application to enhance removal of imbedded contaminants but limit the contact time with Vinyl to avoid extraction of plasticizer. There is no need for additional water rinse as alcohols evaporate completely off the Vinyl surface under vacuum.

Surfactant-Based RCF

1. Foaming. When shaken, it produces a lot of foam that persists for several minutes before gradually collapsing. Roughly, the higher the foam, the more concentrated or effective the surfactant is although foaming may be somewhat reduced if alcohol or other additives is also present.

2. Smell. Nonionic surfactants have a distinctive scent akin to that of alcohols but lighter and sweeter. They are the most commonly used surfactants because they are readily available and inexpensive (about $1-2 per pound; typically, less than 0.005 pound is used per quart). Anionic surfactants have a combination of slightly sweet and acrid smell.

3. Touch. The solution feels slick like soapy water and slightly viscous. It does not evaporate quickly off your skin unless it also contains alcohol.

4. Special Care. In the cleaning process, an adsorbed layer of surfactant will always be left on the Vinyl surface after vacuuming. A dry surfactant film does no harm to the Vinyl except for possible static noises (anionics) or a slight deadening of the sound (nonionics), but a wet surfactant film can extract plasticizer. To remove traces of adsorbed surfactant, apply a final rinse with distilled water and dry thoroughly with a good vacuum.

Mixtures of Surfactant(s) and Alcohol(s).

You’ll simply find the combination of above clues for alcohols and surfactants with some interference.

Special Care: I would also recommend a final water rinse and vacuuming for this RCF type.

Deep Cleaner, Lubricant, Groove Conditioner, Static Suppressor, Etc.

They are either special organic solvent(s) or and/or concentrated surfactant(s) in water. Organic solvents usually have a smell distinct from that of alcohol and do not foam persistently. The best clues for lubricants are a slightly oily feel and/or an increased viscosity. Other additives are difficult to recognize.

Special Care: When groove additives are present, a final water rinse and vacuuming is optional. If you like the sound with the additive (and adsorbed surfactant), do nothing. If you don’t like it, remove surfactants and other additives with a final water rinse and vacuum. Some oily additive(s) will remain on the Vinyl.

When Does the Quality of the De-ionized/Distilled Water Matter?

Surfactant-based RCFs do not require distilled water with ultra low residue. Typical de-ionized or distilled water contains only a few parts per million (ppm) of residue, an insignificant amount for the surfactant (several hundred to several thousand ppm), which is designed to handle a far higher level of dust and contaminants from the Vinyl. Furthermore, water residue pales in comparison with surfactant residue (adsorbed film) left in the groves after cleaning (without additional water rinse and vacuum).

Alcohol-based RCFs, on the other hand, handle solid residue poorly—unless they also contain surfactants—and require de-ionized/distilled water with low residue, the lower the better. For the final water rinse, de-ionized/distilled water with ultra low residue is also required as little surfactant is left to prevent water-residue deposit on the cleaned Vinyl. One of the best available water is High Performance Liquid Chromatography or HPLC water. This is “nanopure” water with less than one ppm of total residue; it is usually sold in gallon bottles by laboratory suppliers.

Summary (Revised)

Basic Concepts in Vinyl Cleaning

Record cleaning is simple in theory but complicated in practice. Some basic concepts, chemistry and useful steps are summarized below to help you better understand the process and use RCFs effectively and safely:

1. To be effective, a record cleaning fluid must possess many properties some of which are mutually exclusive. An ideal RCF must be able to “wet” the Vinyl surface (alcohol or surfactant), “penetrate” deeply into the Vinyl groove (surfactant), and “dissolve” or “solubilize” contaminants on contact. It must also be able to “transport” (foam) solid contaminants away from the Vinyl surface and leave behind after vacuuming no residual film that could affect plasticizer and sound. During cleaning, a good RCF must not extract plasticizer from Vinyl making it brittle and susceptible to damage.

2. No single fluid can offer all desirable properties above. While water is the safest fluid to use, effective cleaning is not possible with water without additives. Most commercial RCFs include several cleaning agents—typically alcohol(s) or surfactant(s) or both—in water that provide the balance between effective cleaning and minimal harm to Vinyl. When a minimal amount of surfactant is used, it serves only as a wetting agent.

3. All cleaning agents (additives) have their advantages and disadvantages. Alcohols (in water) are not very effective at deep cleaning but can dissolve a wide range of contaminants and evaporate completely under vacuum. Surfactants (in water) can provide exceptional cleaning (by solubilization). This effectiveness, however, strongly depends on the surfactant type, molecular structure and concentration and can be contaminant-specific. Just like alcohols, surfactants can also leach plasticizer from Vinyl with prolonged contact. Unlike alcohols, surfactants can leave a sonic signature if the adsorbed film is not completely removed.

4. For deep cleaning, some RCFs use concentrated surfactant mixtures and/or organic solvent(s) other than alcohols. These cleaners, which are capable of removing mold release, may also extract plasticizer from Vinyl given enough contact time. Thus, deep cleaning should be reserved for special cases and should not be frequently repeated.

5. Whether you use alcohol-based or surfactant-based RCFs or others, the contact time between RFCs and Vinyl during cleaning should always be minimized to reduce plasticizer extraction from Vinyl.

6. After using a non-alcohol RCF, additional water rinse and vacuuming are usually beneficial. All RCF ingredients adsorb on the Vinyl surface as a thin film that can be difficult to remove with vacuum. Unlike alcohols which completely evaporate under vacuum, RCF ingredients like surfactants and other additives should be removed with water and vacuum to avoid plasticizer loss, static noises and other deleterious effects.

7. Proceed cautiously with Vinyl lubricant, preservative and additives other than surfactants and alcohols. While they can offer sonic benefits, their long-term effects—sonic and otherwise—are difficult to predict and have not been presented by the manufacturers.

8. Different types of RCF require a slightly different cleaning procedure. Alcohol-based cleaners require vigorous brushing to help dislodge contaminants. Surfactant-base cleaners require additional water wash and vacuum to remove adsorbed surfactant film. When a lubricant is also used, this final rinse is optional and contingent on your preference for the sound.

9. Only low-residue de-ionized/distilled water should be used for record cleaning. Surfactant-based RCFs, however, do not require ultra-low residue water as the surfactant is designed to handle large amounts of residue and contaminants from the Vinyl and the water. Alcohol-based RCFs, on the other hand, handle solid residue poorly and require de-ionized and/or distilled water with very low residue. The final water rinse in particular requires de-ionized and/or distilled water with ultra low residue.

10. While RCF ingredients are often not listed, you can have an idea of the type of RCF by simply shaking, smelling, and feeling the fluid. Whenever possible, request a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for any RCF or household cleaner before using it. This is a good way to obtain the list of all the ingredients (active and inactive) and their potential hazards.

Future Expectations

It should be noted that the surfactants used in most commercial RCF are fairly pedestrian cleaners commonly used in household products. There is a plethora of sophisticated surfactants that are capable of doing a better job of cleaning records with less potential harm. While some may be considerably more expensive that common surfactants, the added cost is not significant because of their low concentration. We have yet to enjoy state-of-the art surfactants in record cleaning fluids.

 

I sometimes use distilled vinegar in place of alcohol based cleaners, and then rinse twice with water and vacuum. Would the vinegar harm the vinyl, in your opinion?

 

No real harm done but there are far better choices

Vinyl is very inert polymer but, just as a matter of precaution, strong acid (vinegar), strong base (ammonia in glass cleaners) or strong oxidant (bleach) should not be used on it. Vinegar (diluted acetic acid) won't probably do any harm to your Vinyl but it won't clean it well either.

I make my own cleaning fluids all the time but, fortunately for me, I have access to nano-pure or HPLC sovents (water, alcohols, etc.) and a large variety of esoteric surfactants and other chemicals to choose from which are structurally well defined and of extremely high purity.

I generally do not recommend that people make their own record cleaning fluids. Just remember that when instead of laboratory-grade chemicals you are using household products, you are never sure what undesirable impurities might be in the mix (colorant, perfume, etc.).

But if you must make your own cleaning fluid from household products, there are much better ingredients than vinegar. For example, here is something that is safer and far more efficient for record cleaning:

1. 0.25 to 0.5% by weight of Dawn or Palmolive dish liquid. These products contain about 10 to 20% alcohol and less than 40% surfactant—a mixture of nonionic and anionic surfactant—in water. They also contain among other things blue or yellow dye and perfume. The active surfactant concentration in your cleaner will be approximately 0.1 to 0.2%, which is sufficient for most cleanings.
2. 10 to 20% isopropyl alcohol by weight. The alcohol serves to reduce the risk of viscous phases formed by surfactants and some contaminants that are hard to vacuum. It also helps prevent excessive foaming. Its use is optional for relatively clean records.
3. De-ionized/distilled water with low residue to make up the rest of the cleaning fluid.

I want to re-emphasize that I do not recommend that you make your own record cleaning fluids from household products because of too many unknown additives. But if you insist, the above formulation will work considerably better than a mixture of vinegar and water. Just don’t forget to rinse everything with distilled water and vacuum one final time as you usually do.

 

Opinion noted. Thank you very much.

 

JT, You continue to do a great service to the forum.

 

JT:

Thanks again for spending the time to educate the rest of us.

BTW, I never realized that dish washing liquid contained so much alcohol. Perhaps I'll do an experiment on distinguishing the different kinds of liquids by taste.

 

I'm sure you're joking but it bears mentioning: This isn't the kind of alcohol that you wat to be drinking...

 

Thanks Justin

My cleaning fluid was put in a labeless bottle from a big jug by my dealer, which I picked up after a phone call. I trust him but didn't see the "big jug".

But now I see the big foam!

 

NOW you tell me!!

(Just kidding.)