How to keep your records in good condition?

You have purchased vinyls and are wondering how to keep your vinyl records in good condition. Here are some essential precautions to observe in order to preserve your vinyls:

Use the antistatic cover of the vinyl record

Immediately after listening, put your vinyl back in its antistatic sleeve before sliding it into its cover so that no dust can settle on the surface of the vinyl.

Avoid touching the vinyl record with your fingers

Handle your vinyl hving care to avoid touching the recorded surfaces. Even when we have just washed our hands, our skin is always covered with a thin lipidic film. This fat film more or less accompanied by perspiration might be deposited on the furrows and damage them. You can very well handle an album holding it with both hands touching only the edge on both sides . For singles, it's even easier to hold the vinyl: you put the forefinger in the central hole and the thumb on the external edge. To take the vinyl out of its sleeve, hold the cover upright and simply slide it toward your other hand. Also avoid friction on the surface of your vinyl record. Scratches are the worst enemies of your vinyls.

Clean your vinyl records

Wipe your vinyl before each use so that it has the least amount of dust. You can use a carbon fiber antistatic brush. The easiest way is to rotate your album on the turntable board and place the brush perpendicularly in order to collect a maximum of dust. To finish the gesture, the brush goes from the center of the vinyl to the outside.

For a thorough cleaning, you can use a soft antistatic cloth and possibly use antistatic spray. If you do not have one at hand, you can take a clean cloth (lint-free of course) that you have slightly moistened with distilled water. Avoid especially tap water, it very often contains limestone that can be deposited in the furrows of the vinyl.

Change the under-sleeve of your vinyls 

After buying vintage vinyls, change the under-sleeves and replace  them with new plastic ones. It eliminates an important source of dust for vinyls. Old paper under-sleevs biodegrade and generate a harmful ambient dust in which your vinyls are stored.

Protect your vinyl records from the heat

Do not leave your vinyls next to a source of heat such as above a radiator, next to hot water pipes, exposed directly to the sun or under a lamp, on the back of the car, etc ... the vinyl record may get warped.

Store your vinyls records

Do not store your vinyls horizontally and do not put objects on them. The cover may be damaged and the shape of the record could mark it circularly.

Store your discs vertically and slightly tight as books in a library. 

Don't forget the stylus of your turntable

Examine your stylus. A damaged needle may harm your albums. Respect the stylus lifespan recommended by the manufacturer. 

In summary:

6 tips from VinylWaller to preserve your vinyls:

• not put your fingers on the surface of vinyl records
• clean the vinyl with an anti-static brush before each use
• put the vinyl back in its under-sleeve right away after listening
• replace used under-sleeves with plastic ones
• store vinyl records vertically away from any source of heat
• regularly check the status of your turntable stylus