What you'll need

Short answer: brush loose dust off with a dry carbon fiber brush before every play, wet-clean with an alcohol-free record fluid and a clean, soft cloth or pad when fingerprints or grime remain (or when you bring home a used record), and use a record cleaning machine for batches. Dry the record fully before it goes back in a clean inner sleeve.

Clean a vinyl record at the level it needs. Brush off dust before every play. Wet-clean it when a dry pass leaves fingerprints or grime behind, or when you bring home a used record. Use a record cleaning machine when you have a stack to wash or want the drying done for you.

Pro-Ject, which makes record cleaning machines, sums up the difference: a dry brush before play roughly removes dust, but to clean the grooves effectively you need to wet-clean the record. Ortofon’s care advice follows the same pattern: a fiber brush before and after every use, and a record cleaning machine once in a while.

Before you start

  • Wash and dry your hands. The Library of Congress says to wash and thoroughly dry your hands before handling audio-visual materials, records included.
  • Hold the record by its edge. The Library of Congress says to handle grooved discs (78s, 45s and LPs) by the edge and label areas only. The University of Illinois Preservation Self-Assessment Program (PSAP) suggests holding a disc by its edges with your hands at about 3 and 9 o’clock.
  • Know what the record is made of. PSAP warns never to clean shellac discs, such as 78s, with fluids that contain alcohol, because alcohol can dissolve shellac. Ortofon doesn’t recommend solvents of any kind on record surfaces or styli.
  • Let cold records warm up. The Library of Congress says to let materials from cool storage acclimate to room temperature before playing them.

Which cleaning method do you need?

Method Use it when What you need
Dry brush Before (and after) every play Carbon fiber record brush
Canned air Loose dust on any grooved disc Canned air
Hand wet clean Fingerprints, grime, used records Record fluid, microfiber cloth, label protector
Machine wash Batches, heavy grime, built-in drying Manual, vacuum or ultrasonic machine
Specialist help Mold or waxy deposits Conservation guidance

Step 1: Dry-clean before every play

  1. Put the record on the platter. Ortofon’s instructions for its carbon fiber Ortofon Record Brush are simple: brush around the surface of the record after placing it on the turntable.
  2. Use a conductive brush. The Boundless Audio Carbon Fiber Record Cleaning Brush has two rows of carbon fiber bristles and needs no liquids or gels. Boundless says it’s electrically conductive, so static passes from its aluminum shell through your hand. Ortofon’s brush uses conductive plastic for the same reason.
  3. Blow off loose dust if you prefer no contact. For grooved discs, the Library of Congress recommends canned air to blow away dust.

Our anti-static brush guide compares more brushes for this step.

Step 2: Wet-clean by hand

For fingerprints and grime, especially on secondhand records, use a record cleaning fluid and a soft cloth.

  1. Protect the label. The Boundless Audio Record Cleaner Solution, Cloth & Label Protector (Amazon search) kit includes a silicone label protector; Boundless says that with it in place, spraying fluid directly onto the vinyl can’t damage the label. It also includes a 6.75 oz (200 ml) spray bottle and a 12 × 12 in. split microfiber cloth.
  2. Spray and wipe. Boundless says its fluid is compatible with vinyl and shellac 78s. Shellac is a different material, not a type of vinyl; identify unusual or valuable discs before choosing a fluid. Its larger Boundless Audio Record Cleaning Solution (17 oz) contains anti-static agents and leaves no residue, so it needs no rinse, according to Boundless.
  3. Rinse if your fluid calls for it. Stronger two-step fluids need a second pass. GrooveWasher makes GrooveWasher G3 Two-Step Record Cleaning Fluid for heavier cleaning, such as old fingerprints and grime on vintage records, and says G3 requires a rinse with distilled water or its own rinse fluid.
  4. Dry the record before it goes back in a sleeve. Wipe it with a dry microfiber cloth. Boundless sells its Boundless Audio Record Cleaning Cloths (5 Pack) (Amazon search) for both cleaning and drying.

Prefer to mix your own? Ortofon’s home recipe is lukewarm demineralized water with a dash of sulfonic soap: a few drops to a few liters of water, with no lather. It recommends detergents without perfume (or as little as possible) that are allergy- and environment-friendly.

Is isopropyl alcohol safe on records? Leave it out. Ortofon advises against solvents of any kind on records, and Pro-Ject keeps alcohol out of its Wash it 2 machine fluid because, it says, alcohol may harm record surfaces. PubChem lists isopropyl alcohol’s uses as a solvent for oils and resins. If you buy a fluid, look for “alcohol-free” or a published ingredient list, and use distilled or demineralized water rather than tap water.

New records with pressing residue

New records can carry residue from the pressing process. LAST says its LAST Power Cleaner (Amazon search) is designed to remove these “mold release” residues, which bind to the groove wall and hold dirt that regular record cleaners can’t remove. It takes three drops per side on LAST’s felt applicator, and LAST says it leaves no residue.

Step 3: Deep-clean with a machine

A machine is worth it when you clean many records or want them dried for you. There are three main types.

  • Manual washer. The HumminGuru EZ is a basin washer. You add two capfuls of its washer fluid to the 950 ml basin, and goat-hair brushes lift dust, fingerprints and grime as you turn the record. Records then dry on a rack that holds up to eight records.
  • Vacuum machine. The Pro-Ject VC-S3 wet-cleans the record, then vacuums the fluid off. Pro-Ject says a magnetic clamp seals the label from fluid and the record is completely dry within two rotations.
  • Ultrasonic cleaner. HumminGuru describes ultrasonic cleaning as sound waves creating cavitation bubbles in a water bath, without brushing the grooves during the ultrasonic stage; support wheels still touch the record. Its HumminGuru Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner (HG01) drains the water automatically, then dries the record with fans on a 5- or 10-minute setting.

Use the fluid or additive the machine’s maker names. Pro-Ject made its Wash it 2 fluid (Search Amazon for Pro-Ject Wash it 2 ) alcohol-free and premixed so you don’t have to dilute concentrate yourself and risk using unsuitable tap water. Our record cleaning machines guide compares sizes, drying and record-size support.

Moldy records and stubborn deposits

Don’t treat mold as an everyday cleaning job. The Library of Congress points readers to the Northeast Document Conservation Center’s guidance on cleaning lacquer discs when mold or waxy deposits must be cleaned from grooved discs.

After cleaning

  • Use a fresh inner sleeve. The Library of Congress suggests replacing record sleeves with high-density polyethylene sleeves when possible.
  • Clean the stylus too. Ortofon says to remove dust from the diamond tip before and after each record. Brush from the back of the cartridge toward the stylus tip, never from the tip backward or from side to side.
  • Store records well. For home collections, the Library of Congress recommends a cool, relatively dry (about 35 to 40% relative humidity), clean and stable place, away from attics and basements.

FAQ

Can I clean vinyl records with isopropyl alcohol?

The sources here advise against it. Ortofon doesn’t recommend solvents of any kind on records, Pro-Ject keeps alcohol out of its machine fluid, and the University of Illinois preservation guide says never to use fluids containing alcohol on shellac discs because alcohol can dissolve shellac.

How often should I clean my records?

Ortofon recommends a fiber brush before and after every use and a record cleaning machine once in a while. Wet-clean between those when a record has fingerprints or grime, or when you bring home a used record.

Can I wash records with tap water and dish soap?

Ortofon’s published home recipe calls for lukewarm demineralized water with a few drops of sulfonic soap per few liters, mixed so it doesn’t lather. Pro-Ject premixes its Wash it 2 fluid partly so owners don’t accidentally use unsuitable tap water.

Sources

Sources and Amazon sellers were checked on October 9, 2026. Nobody tested these products for this page.