[Zero One]

Yesterday I posted some info in the cleaning secrets sticky on using PVA glue cleaning on trashed LPs for digitizing, have a look at it before responding please.

Anyhow I commented that it does not reduce distortion from damage/wear, but I thought why not try it on an LP I know well and that is not totally trashed just to see for sure, I have no problems with this method at all so why not.

Anyhow Grime of the Century (I mean crime) was given the treatment and then carfully listened to, and guess what, there actually is less distortion from wear effects, in fact it is quite noticeable on some of the high impact vocals on "Rudy"which tend to rough up a lot.

So why?  I can only surmise at this point that the glue lifts the damaged vinyl fragments from the groove that lie adjacent to the original modulation, allowing for better tracking, but it might be nothing of a sort too.....but to my ears it is definitely better.  I just had not really noticed before as I had not done any solid before/after tests on LPs I knew really well.

This cleaning method works really well, but if you decide to try proceed with caution on an old dud LP first for practice.

[shep]

well this is sort of a reply; years ago I bought a German product, which I still have. It came in a pot and was red and very strange, kind of silly putty that if you didn't put back in the pot sort of ran away in a puddle. It was applied either to the whole lp or parts and you just lifted it away, along with any dust and dirt. It left no trace and could hold it's weight in dirt.

[Zero One]

I have done a little more experimenting with the PVA treatment and I have decided this is the best cleaning method I have ever used, in fact I'm so happy with it I am going to treat all my records.

Here are a few tips I have worked out.

Don't leave it on the disc too long, peel it off as soon as the PVA has gone clear, leaving it longer makes it very hard to remove.  However even left too long it will lift in soapy water so if you get caught all is not lost.

The second part that works super is to use CT18 truck wash to post PVA clean the LP, this is meant to dissolve grease but is water soluable, it is far far better at cleaning the LPs than dish washing detergent or any thing else I have tried. I use it fairly strong in distilled water with some regular detergent.  Every LP I have tried using this method has ended up pristine clean, pretty much sounding like brand new.

I know it will raise eyebrows but give it a try, you may be very pleassantly surprised.