clean and taking care of your tuntable

Turntable maintenance: How to clean your turntable and records.

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A lot of people know they regularly need to clean their turntables and records. But what many don’t know is that dust and other dirt can actually affect the sound. The result is the well-known crackling and stuttering when playing the record -and further down the line, there could also arise damage to the needle or the record. So be aware and take action when needed, your turntable and vinyl will be forever grateful.

In order to help you out on how to properly clean your records and turntable we will  show you:

  • Which component you should clean 
  • How to get your turntable clean inside and out
  • What you need to consider when cleaning your records

Which parts of the turntable are affected?

Now, this may not surprise you but the needle is the most sensitive part of a turntable. Unfortunately, it is also the component that attracts the most dirt as it picks up anything that is on the records themselves. Every little grain of dust can get stuck on the needle. Then there is an unsightly crackle and noise. 

The needle has a lot to do with the production of the sound. It is therefore very important to keep this sensitive component clean. Not only the sound is affected since your records themselves could also be affected or more direct, but they can also be damaged. A needle can wear out much quicker because of dirt and therefore also damage your records much quicker. You can read more in our article about the needle or stylus and how to tell if it’s worn out or how long your needle can last.

The needle is of course not the only component that picks up dust, the whole turntable can be affected. Since the record player is often unprotected in the room, a lot of dust accumulates here over time. We, therefore, advise you to cover your turntable with a protective cover when it is not in use. If your turntable doesn’t have a dust cover you can use a small blanket or a dust cover that fits the measurements of your turntable.

Also with belt-drive turntable, the belt can lose quality over time if too much dirt accumulates here. So keep your belt clean with a simple cleaning cloth and some water.

If you want to know more in-depth information on how the clean the delete the video below is a great tutorial. 

Cleaning the records

Listening to music on vinyl is great – unfortunately records also attract a lot of dust. Therefore, you should try to remove any dust before each play with a special brush. If your records are very dirty and you want to know how to keep valuable record collection in good condition so they can last you a lifetime? Read our detailed guide on how to keep your vinyl records in great condition.

This is how properly clean your turntable 

Cleaning the turntable is usually somewhat impractical: the device consists of many fragile individual parts. I mean, you can’t go wrong with a CD player, great care should be taken when handling the record player! It is not only about the visible surfaces of the turntable, but you should also take care of the interior (plate, straps, etc.) every now and then.

1. Clean the surfaces

Start with the outer surfaces of the turntable. As with most other accessories, there is usually a lot of dust here. From time to time you can simply use a feather duster or swiffer to clean it.

How best to clean your turntable:

  1. Use a clean, lint-free cloth for cleaning. Start in the middle and always wipe outwards.
  2. Stubborn stains such as fingerprints can be tackled with alcohol.
  3. Then rub the surface again with a dry, antistatic cloth.

As already mentioned, an important tool for cleaning is the antistatic cloth. This prevents the surface from being charged by the wiping. This prevents lint and dust particles from being magnetically attracted again immediately. Now there are also specially protected vinyl cleaning cloths These dusters can also remove really old dust from older records and therefore revive the joy of the old classics. You can simply buy them on Amazon.

You should remember this:

  • Never use your bare fingers for cleaning, especially not with the needle!
  • If the turntable is not in use, you should use a dust cover.
 

2. Clean the inside

Once the turntable is clean on the outside, you should also try to clean the inner workings of your record player. Record players that are cleaned from the inside sound better and are able to last a lot longer. Especially if the turntable has a belt drive mechanism. Those who are familiar with the different components of a  turntable, therefore, have a clear advantage when cleaning.

What signs show you that your turntable needs cleaning?

  • For example, the speed no longer remains constant
  • Or the record player reacts particularly slowly

How to clean the inside of the turntable:

  1. First, turn off the power! So nothing happens to you when cleaning.
  2. Next, remove the dust cover and rubber mat. This is often easy to lift since in most cases it is not connected to the record player directly.
  3. Now remove turntable platter: To carry out this step correctly, take the operating instructions of your turntable at hand.
  4. Once you’ve done that, the hardest part is done. Now you can already see some of the inner workings. The belt can be removed carefully and can be treated with a cloth or alcohol.
  5. Be sure to also clean the underside of the platter at the same time. Often dust falls down again when screwing them together so keep that in mind.
  6. Wait until all parts are completely dry. Then start reassembling the turntable.

Fortunately, you do not have to repeat this inner cleaning procedure very often. One or two times a year is should be sufficient. However, it also depends on how often you use the turntable and whether you use a dust cover. If you want to know about how to properly clean your turntable view the video below.

Longlasting Record Players

If you want to buy a new turntable and spend less time maintaining the device. Check within one of our guides for a model that includes a dust cover and comes with a long-lasting stylus. Or maybe you are looking for a turntable with a specific feature or within a certain budget. In any way check out one of our guides below:

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