Budget ultrasonic vinyl cleaning

Upstatemax · December 3

I needed an ultrasonic cleaner for cleaning brass casings, for reloading. I decided to keep it reasonable and while kicking around the Vevor website, I came across this:

https://www.vevor.com/ultrasonic-cleaner-c_11064/6l-ultrasonic-vinyl-record-cleaner-cleaning-machine-complete-w-drying-rack-p_010265133877?adp=gmc&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id=23093382192&ad_group=189722589027&ad_id=778133999269&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23093382192&gbraid=0AAAAACq8bLVhdLwZFk1VsOJGBev78HBsr&gclid=CjwKCAiA3L_JBhAlEiwAlcWO54l7DwsrEJn27vCAyRE6xyp1-eEvXrLeyQCwxBAKItezcJcEIbBzFRoCkR4QAvD_BwE

I figured for the $15'ish it added to the "standard" version, why the heck not try it.

For it's base purpose, it's fantastic at cleaning up brass!

After a good clean out, I set up the vinyl cleaning setup.

I need to research some better solutions for the ultrasonic, but I have a good bit of the "Spin Clean" solution kicking around, and a quick search claims it works alright.

So, I dropped in 4 caps of the solution and started a cleaning cycle.

I set the water temp to 39*c (about 102*f) and ran 6 albums for 15 minutes.

I picked a few albums that I've retired for being too noisy, such as ZZ Top "First Album" and Ray Charles " Ray's Moods".

The cleaner didn't perform any miracles, it's not going to repair surface damage, but it did clean up the sound of these 2 by a really good margin. Way less hiss, crackles and pops. To the point that I'll happily put them back into rotation.

I also put my MoFi copy of "Brothers and Sisters" in. This album has always had a frustrating amount of noise to it, especially for what MoFi albums cost.

All I can say at this point, the noise is GONE.

So, it seems I'll be cleaning my entire collection of vinyl on this machine!

Thankfully it's a relatively small collection.

SIHAB · December 4

That is awesome.

If the record is already clean, I just use a surfactant.
Triton X-100 (10 drops per run) and distilled water.

Upstatemax · December 4

SIHAB wrote: »

That is awesome.

If the record is already clean, I just use a surfactant.
Triton X-100 (10 drops per run) and distilled water.

Awesome.

Thanks for the suggestion!

I'll pick some X-100 up and get to some more cleaning!

skipshot12 · December 5

Way cool.

muncybob · December 5

I have had the same experience. I thought it was just me trying to convince myself the records sounded better but when my wife said they sounded better after spinning one of her favorites (Hall & Oates Abandoned Luncheonette) I knew I was going to spend a fair amount of time cleaning all the records.

I even clean brand new records to be sure no crap is in the grooves from the pressing and the quate(sp) in my fluid helps eliminate the "clicks" esp in this indoor dry winter air.

Upstatemax · December 5

muncybob wrote: »

I have had the same experience. I thought it was just me trying to convince myself the records sounded better but when my wife said they sounded better after spinning one of her favorites (Hall & Oates Abandoned Luncheonette) I knew I was going to spend a fair amount of time cleaning all the records.

I even clean brand new records to be sure no crap is in the grooves from the pressing and the quate(sp) in my fluid helps eliminate the "clicks" esp in this indoor dry winter air.

I also like to clean brand new records. For me, I knew the Spin Clean wasn't doing a great job. Did it provide an improvement?

Sure, but it always seemed to leave a lot of surface noise making me think the records could still be a lot cleaner.

Glad I decided to give this a go. It was a really inexpensive way of providing a really good improvement.

marvda1 · December 5

What do you think of the version with the retro knobs instead of the digital look, less money.

Upstatemax · December 5

marvda1 wrote: »

What do you think of the version with the retro knobs instead of the digital look, less money.

I decided on the one with digital look as it seems to have a better setup for the actual record cleaner. Can clean more records at once and has more adjustability.

muncybob · December 6

If cleaning more than 1 record at a time be sure to leave enough space between them for proper sonic cleaning.

Upstatemax · December 6

This one does come with spacers that go between each record, they also cover the labels to help keep them better protected.

marvda1 · December 7

I would not put 7 on at one time not enough space between records. I plan on putting on no more than 3 at a time and spacing them out.

SCompRacer · December 8

I use these label savers with O rings on my ultrasonic so the labels don't get wet. I got them on ebay, from China of course. With six of these I do three LP at a time. I can put the records away right after cleaning, distilled rinse and vacuuming on the VPI 16.5. I use TergiKleen, a concentrated Tergitol based fluid.

marvda1 · December 8

@SCompRacer do you have a link to those spacers?

SCompRacer · December 8

I thought I got them from ebay but turns out it was Amazon. The ones Wewu Rounds sell on Amazon now appear to have a rubber seal around the perimeter. Might try ebay for LP label savers and see what you come up with. I don't recall paying 20 bucks each for three back in 2022.

Upstatemax · December 9

I'll have to measure the spacers provided from Vevor, once I get home.

They looked to be about 1/2" to possibly 3/4".

Probably wouldn't be too difficult to add some form of rubber ring to them, to seal out water. But the batches I ran, none of the labels got wet.

SCompRacer · December 9

I always seemed to get the edges of labels wet, like it wicked in-between the plastic spacers and records while rotating in the ultrasonic bath. I need to consult @mhardy6647 to learn if the Tergitol mix (S-3 and S-9) I previously used made my distilled water wetter.

Budget ultrasonic vinyl cleaning

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