Vinyl guide

Keep your records playing for decades

Vinyl lasts a lifetime if you treat it well. Most clicks, pops and warps come from a few avoidable habits.

Handling

Hold records by the edges and the centre label only. Fingerprints leave oils that trap dust in the grooves.
Put a record back in its sleeve as soon as you've finished playing it.
Lower and lift the stylus with the cueing lever, not by hand, if your turntable has one.

Store records upright, like books, packed firmly enough that they don't lean. Never stack them flat in a pile: the weight warps the ones at the bottom.
Keep them away from heat and direct sunlight. A South African summer can warp a record left in a car in under an hour.
Swap the paper inner sleeves for anti-static inner sleeves. Paper sheds fibres and scuffs the surface.
Clear outer sleeves protect the cover art from ring wear and scratches.

Before every play, give the record a few turns under a carbon-fibre brush to lift surface dust and static.
For deeper cleaning, use a record-cleaning fluid and a microfibre cloth, wiping along the grooves rather than across them. Let it dry fully before sleeving it.
Avoid household cleaners, dish soap residue and paper towels.
Clean the stylus too, with a small stylus brush, brushing from back to front only. A dirty stylus pushes grime deeper into every record it plays.

A brand-new record can still carry dust and static from the pressing plant and packing. A quick brush before the first play is worth it.

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