How To Clean Vinyl Records With Windex- A Step-By-Step Guide

If you are a regular user of vinyl records, you must know that it is essential to keep them clear and clean. It is the only way to keep it working for a more extended period of time. If you don’t clean it regularly, then there might be an accumulation of dirt or dust on your vinyl record, and it results in degradation of sound quality or permanent damage to the machine.

As far as the cleaning methods are concerned, there are many methods with their advantages and disadvantages. You choose the one which is the most suitable for you. In this article, we have provided all the applicable methods of how to clean vinyl records with Windex. Before jumping to these cleaning methods, there are certain things that you also need to consider before making your opinion about cleaning with Windex.

What is Windex?

Windex is a cleaning chemical used to clean the hard surface and stubborn dirty glass. The Drackett Company initially manufactured it in 1933. It was marketed in glass containers. Now, plastic bottles are being used for their distribution. Windex brand was sold to Bristol-Meyers in 1933 and S.C Johnson in 1993. Since then, it has been manufactured by the same company. The ingredients used in its formation were solvents, fragrance, detergents, and Ammonia. However, ammonia-free Windex products are also available.

Should You Use Glass Cleaner Or Windex On The Vinyl Records?

A lot of people ask this question. If we answer it in simple words, then it would be yes; you can use it for cleaning. But there are some concerns which you need to be resolved first. The biggest problems are Ammonia and alcohol in the Windex. Both Ammonia and alcohol can eat or make pits into your vinyl record. Thus, it would help if you bought the Windex, which is both Ammonia and alcohol-free. There is a lot of ammonia-free Windex, but very few are alcohol-free. one of them is sparkle glass cleaner, which is both alcohol and ammonia-free.

Why Do The Vinyl Records Need To Keep Clean?

There are many benefits of keeping the vinyl records in cleaning mode. Some of them are mentioned below as:

Cleaning lengthens the playability of the vinyl records.
The durability of the vinyl records wholly depends upon their proper maintenance.
New vinyl records are coming with mold, which you need to clean before take it in general use.
Deep cleaning is not required as it will not restore extreme scratches but damage anything vital. Thus, slight cleaning is the best option.

How Often Should You Clean Your Records?

There are not some hard and fast rules of cleaning it, but there are some venues when you must clean the vinyl records. Some of these are given as:

Generally, if you see, there is dust on the record.
If you add something to your collection and you have to keep it with other records.
If you hear some pop, crackle, or hissing sound while using the vinyl records.

Necessary Items For Cleaning The Vinyl Records With Windex

If you are going to clean vinyl record with Windex’s help, you need to prepare these things before applying the method.

Warm water: Prepare a cup of warm water and ensure that it is not too cold or hot.

Soft-Bristle Brush: You must have a soft-bristle brush as you cannot remove some dirt easily from the grooves.

Microfiber cleaning cloths: Always use microfiber cloths as other clothes might damage the record. The records also come in the super-sensitive category.

Windex: The Windex cleaning bottle

How To Clean Vinyl Records With Windex – A Step By Step Guide

Windex is a harsh cleaning method as compared to soap or warm water. It might be a challenging method, but it is also safe and effective if you correctly use it. Follow the below-mentioned steps if you want to do it effectively.

Windex checking

First of all, If you can, you must ensure that the Windex is Ammonia and alcohol-free.

General wiping

You must remove the extra dust and static using a brush.

Simple cleaning

Take a microfiber cloth and gently clean the grooves of the records. Wipe it slowly and gently to keep it safe from scratches.

Windex spraying

Now use the Windex by spraying it in minute quantity on the vinyl record. Use it in a small portion as you know it is more potent than soap and water. You can spread the small quantity of Windex with the help of microfiber cloth throughout the record. Keep it some time for drying, and then polish it. Still, if the dirt doesn’t remove, you can also use the soft-bristle brush.

Wiping with the help of warm water

In the next step, wipe it again with the help of warm water. Put a little bit of warm water and wipe it until the record is fully polished. In the end, you must ensure that no residue has left on the record.

Safe storage

After a complete cleaning, please keep safe in mobile fidelity inner sleeves.

Important Tips

Only use the method mentioned above in extreme cases if the sound breaks or tracks skips.

For regular cleaning, take a clean piece of cloth and normal warm water and then rub it slowly and gently in a circular motion on the record.

Only holds the record from the side as your fingers on the record might attract some dirt and damage the surface.

Always use a face mask and hand gloves while dealing with Windex as it has harmful ingredients.

Pros And Cons Of Cleaning Vinyl Records With Windex

Pros

Clean efficiently and quickly, even the hard stains.
Old build-ups are also easily removable with it.
It’s relatively easy to use the spray bottle rather than a wet cloth.
The liquid dries up immediately, and rinsing is not required.
Cheap and readily available in multiple stores.

Cons

By having aggressive chemicals like ethanol solvent and Iso-propanol amine, it might damage the record grooves.
You cannot use it regularly as the lauryl dimethyl chemical might generate small particles on the surface, which might damage the vinyl coating.

Other Methods Of Cleaning The Vinyl Records

Windex might be an easy way to clean the vinyl records, but some other methods are available for cleaning vinyl records like DIY or home-made cleaner for vinyl records. It is merely a combination of distilled water, Isopropyl alcohol, vinegar and dishwashing soap. Some other methods are available, like spin-clean record washer and vinyl Styl deep groove record washer system. In the most straightforward method, you can use a combination of warm soap and distilled water in the cleaning of the vinyl record. It might be milder, but it is relatively safe to use this method.

Other Uses Of Windex In Daily Life

There are also many other uses of Windex other than cleaning glass, phonograph records and hard surfaces. It can also be used as:

Countertop cleaner.
Jewelry cleaner.
Stain remover.
Insect repellent.
Patio furniture cleaner.

Is it safe to use the Windex on the vinyl records??

Yes, it is safe to use despite being a harsh cleaning solution. Overall, it produces incredible results. It would also help if you also sprayed it as little as possible and use warm water to rinse it.

Can we clean the vinyl record with just warm water??

Yes, you can, but in this way, you could not get the crystal clear solution.

Can I use vinegar to clean the vinyl record??

Yes, a mixture of vinegar and water is useable. But vinegar is acidic could cause the growth of mold. However, if you have to use vinegar, then use white vinegar rather than natural vinegar.

Conclusion

All the tips mentioned above are relatively easy to apply to your home as well as your office. If you don’t want to take any risk, you can also take Ammonia and alcohol-free Windex. Other than this, you can buy a record vacuum or vinyl record cleaning machine. In a nutshell, you know every possible way how to clean vinyl records with Windex. By simply applying these methods, you can easily keep your vinyl record dirt and dust-free.