How To Clean A Scratched Vinyl Record

To remove scratches from your vinyl records it's recommended to first brand sure all dirt and grit is removed from the scratch. This can be done with either a toothpick or a woods mucilage peeling technique. Finally sandpaper can exist used carefully to smooth out and erase the scratches.

Picture this: you're listening to that limited edition Metallica record that you searched for everywhere for 3 months, and all of a sudden, you hear it – the dreaded skip, click, POP. When it comes to vinyl records, at that place's nothing worse than realizing your latest find is all scratched upwards. If the scratch is deep enough, it can get-go collecting dirt, making the quality even worse.

Scratchy LPs aren't just a problem for your ears. They pb to mistracking, eventually leaving the record unusable. The built-up dirt might also destroy your stylus, which can be expensive to replace.

Only wait! Before yous surrender that tape equally a lost cause, effort these easy DIY ways to set up scratches on your favorite LPs.

Function i – Toothpick To Clean Out Vinyl Scratches

toothpick on vinyl scratch — image from Pinterest

Before we fix the scratch it might be enough to remove dirt and dust from it. All you need is a toothpick and some cleaning materials to remove the stubborn dust in the grooves. Unfortunately, information technology'due south not permanent and needs to be repeated.

Tools – a vinyl brush, a vinyl cleaning solution or DIY equivalent (check step ii), a toothpick

Footstep one – Castor Off the Dirt

Put your tape on the player and turn information technology on.
Grab a dry vinyl brush and concur it lightly on the surface of the tape. This will brush away dirt and static buildup.
Proceed the castor on the record for one-3 spins, and then hold it at an angle and slowly remove it from the record.
Make sure you make clean your brush subsequently!

Step two – Clean Information technology Up

Get a professional vinyl cleaning kit online. These unremarkably accept a liquid cleaner, a brush for cleaning your record, and another brush to clean the commencement brush (brushception!) Follow the directions to clean the tape.
Cleaning on a upkeep? Make your own solution at abode! Mix 0.5% isopropyl booze to 99.5% distilled water, and 1 or 2 drops of dishwasher fluid in a spray bottle. (Read this if you're worried about using alcohol on vinyl records)
Put the record on a microfiber textile, then spray it with your cleaner. Look half a infinitesimal to let the liquid soak in, then wipe information technology away with another microfiber textile.
Soak another microfiber material in distilled water, and so wipe downwards both sides of the record.
Don't spray the label of the record, and don't forget to clean both sides!

Step 3 – It'south Toothpick Fourth dimension!

Find the scratch on the record, then grab a toothpick.
Angle it diagonally and press it softly into the scratch, moving it back and forth.
Echo for any other scratches on the record.

Part 2 – Use Wood Gum Peeling To Fully Make clean The Tape Grooves

While y'all might non take heard of wood glue (unless you work for a hardware shop), it's for more than than just piece of furniture. Unlike the toothpick method, yous don't have to search for the scratches yourself. Unfortunately, this one isn't permanent either and may have to be repeated.

Tools – a bottle/tube of woods gum, a cardboard slice or carte du jour around 50mm wide, a table (optional)

Step 1 – Make Wood Gum Lines on the Record

Set the record to spin on your turntable (or set up it up on a regular tabular array if you're worried most getting glue on your tape thespian).
Catch your bottle of forest mucilage and put the tip at the border of your inner characterization.
Squeeze the canteen lightly and let the glue create lines on your record.
Stop when you lot reach the outer edge and the record is covered with thin, even lines of glue.
If you squeeze out too much, that's okay! The amount of glue will eventually fifty-fifty out. If it's gone past the outer edges, wipe it up with a paper towel.

Step 2 – Cutting Some Cardboard

Take your card or piece of cardboard and continue the edge on the outer function of the record.
Equally the record spins, the gum will spread out of the lines and encompass the outer function of the tape.
Selection upwardly the card and motion it to the inner office of the record. Concord it there till the inner office is completely covered in glue besides.

Step 3 – Leave Information technology Out to Dry out

Exit the record on the turntable (or table) and allow the gum dry out overnight, preferably for 24 hours.
Once dry, the mucilage will class a thin, translucent sheet. Check to see if it'due south fully dry by lightly touching the outer border with your finger. If information technology's even so wet, let it sit for some other i-2 hours.

Step 4 – Peel Information technology!

Use your finger and thumb to gently pick up the sheet at the outer edge of the LP.
Continue to lift it slowly and peel it off in one slice.
If it tears, just start at another identify on the outer border.

Step 5 – Test It Out!

Endeavor out the part that sounded weird to brand certain the scratch isn't a problem anymore.

Part 3 – Use Sandpaper To Smooth Out And Remove The Scratches

vinyl record being rinsed — image from YouTube

If you're looking for a more permanent solution, you lot tin can refinish the record surface by using sandpaper. If yous store your vinyl properly, you won't take to repeat this one, but information technology might make you lot very nervous! If you choose to do this, approach with care.

Circumspection: If the scratch has destroyed the entire groove, or dirt has melted into the vinyl, this method won't assist.

Tools – 1500 grit or finer sandpaper, a towel, a sink

Stride 1 – Clean Upward

You tin follow either Method 1 or 2 for a pre-sanding cleanup.

Step two – Head to the Sink

First, wash your record. Information technology might audio weird, only this method is easier if the disc is moisture.
Catch some of the sandpaper and moisture it. You can add a tiny bit of liquid soap to make it smoother.

Step iii – Sanding Time!

Identify the record on a hard, apartment surface.

(Hint: Keeping it on a counter with the border of the disc hanging off slightly lets you go a skillful grip on information technology!)

Rub the sandpaper very lightly all over the record on both sides. Use a curving motion that goes along the grooves.
If you run into the smooth surface of the tape getting ho-hum, you're sanding too hard! Remember to use extremely light pressure.
Keep wetting the tape and the sandpaper if they dry up.
Try not to go over whatsoever area more than 4-six times. If scratches remain, sand that area ii-3 times once more.
You might see small scratches from the sandpaper, just these shouldn't damage your record.

Stride four – Wash and Test

Wash the vinyl dust off your record to prevent harm to your needle and your disc.
The damaged upper part of the grooves will exist gone thanks to the sandpaper, which leads to crisper sound.

Conclusion

Congrats – you lot now have three easy ways to fill in and erase scratches from your vinyl records. Don't forget to store your records properly in their sleeves, and affect them as piddling as possible. This will help minimize scratching and the need for cleaning. Let me know if this helped yous, and if you have any questions or comments, drop them beneath!

Thanks for reading. I hope this was helpful. I'd also love it if you checked out my other Educational articles like this one.