Clean Vintage Vinyl Records Like A Professional Archivist with TergiKleen Tergitol-Based Highly Concentrated Fluid

I started with a Spin-Clean, and saw the results in the bottom of the tank, but it only got rid of the worst dirt.Then I bought a Humminguru, using the Spin-Clean as a rinser. Again, I saw the results (this time much finer particles) on the bottom. The sound improvement was noticeably better.Now that I’ve upgraded to TergiKleen, my records sound the clearest they’ve ever been.The only problem I’ve found, vs the cleaner that came with my Humminguru, is that it has a greater viscosity, so I need to use less. Recommendations are for 15-20 drops per gallon, which is the same for my previous cleaner. I added 17 drops, but it caused my Humminguru not to be able to spin the records. I diluted it to where it’s around 12 drops per gallon & my records spin again. And the records still come out clean.

Wow! It actually works!! I put 5 or 6 drops inside a quart (32 oz) sized spray bottle of distilled water. I shook it well and I sprayed directly on my record and used a record brush to wipe it on. I then used my Record Doctor IV vacuum machine until dry. I followed it up with a pure distilled water spray and then vacuumed again. I’m shocked. It removed the crackles on 2 records that I assumed were just too far gone. Turns out that the grooves were just dirty and TergiKleen finally got them back to sounding new. I’m serious! It really works. Best cleaning agent I’ve found after going through many different brands I’ve ordered on Amazon and other audiophile websites. Thanks, TergiKleen.

This is certainly not the neatest, or easiest cleaning solution to use for your vinyl records. However, I must say that it does work quite well to remove a lot of the tiny particulates that have gotten themselves trapped in your record grooves. But, ONLY IF you put the required effort into the process!That's because – after brushing the cleaning solution you've made from the TergiKleen concentrate + distilled water ONTO the record, and INTO the grooves (to brush out as much dirt & grime as possible) – you then have to RINSE the entire record with pure DISTILLED water to remove the TergiKleen solution itself from the grooves! That takes purchasing a pump garden sprayer to rinse out the dirty cleaning solution, which flushes out a lot of the tiny contaminants that other single-step record cleaners tend to leave behind.I am actually using a small, rechargeable plant sprayer, with an adjustable spray tip, so I don't have to stop to manually pump up the sprayer, at all! A long, thin hose can be placed right down the spout of any 1 gallon (or larger) jug of distilled water, so that a continuous stream of clean water is available. (Glad I found this compact electric sprayer on Amazon, too!)However, you then still have a dripping wet record that needs to be wiped down properly with a microfiber cloth, and left to air dry (preferably, left standing VERTICALLY on a wooden or plastic drying rack). If only distilled water is in the grooves, no dirt will be left there when the pure water evaporates. However, if you still see dirt or fingerprint marks on the record, then you may have to start the process all over again.(Not sure what happens if you DON'T completely rinse off the TergiKleen solution from a record; though, I'm not really willing to find out at this time. I'll just keep following the written instructions, and not tempt fate).But, what you can end up with (albeit after the possibility of going through perhaps SEVERAL cleaning cycles) is a VERY clean vinyl record that has substantially reduced clicks, pops, and crackling during playback. You'll just have to make sure that you have ALL the necessary supplies on hand, PRIOR to starting the job.The only thing TergiKleen can't do anything about are scratches, of course. For that, you'll just have to buy another record!

Does a good job with my Spin Clean. Rinses well too.

The media could not be loaded. Lately, I've been having some trouble settling on a method to clean records. I tried several ultrasonic cleaners plus manual washers like the Spin Clean. I had recently come across some 40 year old used Alice Cooper records that where gritty and dirty but the records themselves looked blemish free. When researching cleaning solutions, Tergitol and the Library of Congress kept coming up and I decided to give it a try. The most important thing about cleaning a record with any solution is to rinse it off with clean, distilled water to prevent any film or residue. Many people skip this step because the manufacturers claim theirs doesn't need it. Well, they ALL do.I bought a cheap Studebaker as a rinse only basin to compliment my Spin Clean which was the distilled water/TergiKleen solution. As a side note, the Studebaker is not in the same league as the spin Clean and really only is good for rinsing records, not deep cleaning them. The brushes are not tight enough together to truly create that deep cleaning death grip like the Spin Clean provides. See the side-by-side pics I posted of the cleaning "station".I added 17 drops of the TergiKleen in a gallon of distilled water (between 10 and 20 is what they recommend) and washed all my previously purchased used records. I even had some 45's that were nearly 30 years old and never played. All I can say is WOW! Of all the ways I tried cleaning records in the past year, I think I finally hit the jackpot. I am 100% happy with this cleaner. It's wise to let it soak in to the grooves for a few minutes so using the Spin Clean could take a little longer with a few more revolutions than the instructions say to really get the old vinyls in near mint condition. I posted a video/audio sample of what a filthy 40 year old record pulled from the budget bins can sound like with a proper cleaning.I'm a fan and will keep cleaning this way until something better comes along.