Record Cleaning for Beginners

How to Clean a Turntable Stylus Safely

How to clean a record player stylus without damage: brush direction, gel and liquid cleaners, how often to do it, and what to avoid.

4 min read

Storage & Sleeves

Best Inner Sleeves for Vinyl Records

How to choose inner sleeves for vinyl: paper vs poly-lined vs anti-static three-ply, sizing, and which sleeves suit cleaned records.

Spin-Clean vs Ultrasonic Record Cleaner

Spin-Clean manual washer vs an ultrasonic record cleaner: how each works, effort, water, size, and which collection each suits.

4 min read

Replacement Stylus for the AT-LP60X

Which replacement stylus fits the Audio-Technica AT-LP60X: ATN3600LC vs ATN3600L vs ATN3600LE, how to swap it, and third-party caveats.

Storage & Sleeves

MoFi Inner Sleeves vs Paper Sleeves

MoFi three-ply anti-static sleeves vs the plain paper sleeves records ship in: construction, static, scuffing, fit and when to switch.

Storage & Sleeves

How to Store Vinyl Records in a Hot Apartment

How to protect vinyl records from heat in an apartment without air conditioning: where to shelve them, upright storage, sleeves and warning signs.

How Often to Replace a Turntable Stylus

How long a record player stylus lasts, how to estimate playing hours, the warning signs of wear, and why a worn stylus damages records.

2 min read

Carbon Fiber vs Velvet Record Brush

Carbon fibre vs velvet record brushes: how each removes dust, static, use with fluid, technique, and which to choose for daily use.

2 min read

HumminGuru vs Degritter: Which Ultrasonic Cleaner Fits You?

HumminGuru vs Degritter compared: cleaning method, drying, capacity, upkeep and who each ultrasonic record cleaner suits, with honest trade-offs.

Is the HumminGuru Worth It? An Honest Look

Is the HumminGuru ultrasonic record cleaner worth it? What it does well, where it falls short, upkeep, and who should buy a manual washer instead.

Spin-Clean Complete Kit vs Deluxe Kit: Which to Buy

Spin-Clean Complete Kit vs Deluxe Kit: what each box includes, when the extra fluid and spares pay off, and which one makes sense for your collection.

How Many Records Can You Clean With Spin-Clean Fluid?

How many records one Spin-Clean bath and one bottle of fluid really clean, based on Spin-Clean's own dosing, plus signs it is time to change the water.

Distilled Water vs Record Cleaning Fluid

Distilled water vs record cleaning fluid: what each does, why most methods use both, when water alone is fine, and what to avoid on vinyl records.

How to Clean Mouldy Vinyl Records

How to clean moldy vinyl records safely: protect yourself, dry-remove spores, wash properly, deal with jackets and sleeves, and stop mould returning.

How to Clean 78 RPM Shellac Records Safely

How to clean 78 rpm shellac records without damage: why alcohol is off-limits, a gentle water method, drying, storage, and the stylus 78s need.

How to Dry Records After Washing

How to dry vinyl records after washing: cloths, racks and air drying, how long to wait before sleeving, and the drying mistakes that cause streaks.

Turntable Setup

Why Does My Vinyl Crackle After Cleaning?

Why your vinyl still crackles after cleaning: residue, static, damp grooves, a dirty stylus, setup problems or real damage, and how to tell which.

Is Isopropyl Alcohol Safe for Vinyl Records?

Is isopropyl alcohol safe for vinyl records? The debate explained: what alcohol does, the risks to labels and shellac, and safer ways to clean records.

How to Clean Thrift Store Records

How to clean thrift store records step by step: inspect, quarantine, dry brush, wash twice if needed, dry, re-sleeve and protect the rest of your collection.

How to Clean Records Without Wetting the Label

How to clean vinyl records without wetting the label: label-safe washers, hand-cleaning technique, label protectors, and what to do if a label gets wet.

AT-LP120X Stylus Upgrade Options

AT-LP120X stylus upgrade options explained: the stock AT-VMN95E, the other VM95 styli that fit, what each tip shape changes, and when to upgrade.

Replacement Needle for the Crosley Cruiser

Which replacement needle fits the Crosley Cruiser: the genuine NP6, how to check your model code, how to swap it, and how to avoid lookalike parts.

Replacement Stylus for Victrola Suitcase Record Players

Which replacement stylus fits Victrola suitcase record players: the ITNP-S1, the Journey models it fits, the exceptions to check, and how to swap it safely.

Onzow ZeroDust Review: Is It Safe for Your Stylus?

Is the Onzow ZeroDust stylus cleaner safe? What it is, the residue concerns raised by reviewers, Onzow's own care guidance, and gentler alternatives.

Stylus Cleaning Gel vs Brush vs Fluid

Stylus cleaning gel vs brush vs fluid compared: how each works, what each removes, risks to your cartridge, and a simple routine that combines them.

Signs of a Worn Turntable Stylus

The signs of a worn turntable stylus: what distortion, sibilance, skipping and visible damage tell you, how to inspect the tip, and when to replace it.

Stylus vs Cartridge: What's the Difference?

Stylus vs cartridge explained: what each part does, which one wears out, when you can replace just the stylus, and how to buy the right part.

How to Replace a Turntable Needle

How to replace a turntable needle step by step: identify the right stylus, remove the old one, fit the new one, and check tracking force afterwards.

Conical vs Elliptical Stylus: Which Is Better?

Conical vs elliptical stylus compared: how tip shape affects detail, tracking, wear, setup and worn records, and which suits your turntable and collection.

Turntable Setup

How to Set Tracking Force With a Digital Stylus Gauge

How to set tracking force with a digital stylus gauge: balance the tonearm, read the gauge correctly, match your cartridge's range, and avoid common errors.

Turntable Setup

How to Set Anti-Skate on a Turntable

How to set anti-skate on a turntable: what skating force is, the dial method, the test-track method, signs it is wrong, and turntables without it.