Preserve vinyl records

• Step 1 Prepare your hands

  To ensure that oily fingerprints stay off the records, wear archival gloves or wash your hands any time you handle your vinyl records. Touch only by the edges or the label, never the vinyl itself.

• Step 2 Clean the stylus

  Before you play a vinyl record, clean the stylus (also known as the needle). Remove loose dirt with a dry stylus brush or a short-pile brush. For stuck-on dirt, dab it with a stylus brush or cotton swab dipped in a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution. Brush from back to front only.

  Replace the stylus after 400 to 600 hours of play.

• Step 3 Remove dust

  Vinyl records get dusty over time. You have a few options for cleaning your record albums:

  •  Rinse the records with distilled water and dry with a microfiber clothing, wiping in the direction of the grooves.
  • Use a record cleaning kit that includes a cleaning pad or cloth and cleaning solution. Discwasher is a well-known brand. Follow label instructions carefully.
  • If you have a lot of records to clean, invest in vinyl record cleaner. It applies a cleaning solution and vacuums the record at the same time. Well-known brands are VPI and Nitty Gritty.

• Step 4 Replace vinyl record covers

  If you have albums in their shrink wrapped covers, remove the wrapping — it can shrink over time, warping the vinyl records.

  Don't store the record in the cardboard cover it came in; instead store it in an anti-static outer sleeve. Keep the old sleeve, of course — it's cool and holds a ton of information in the liner notes.

  Replace the inner paper sleeves with sleeves made of acid-free rice paper or high-density polyethylene. When you tuck the inner sleeve into the cover, turn it so the openings don't line up; that way the record can't fall out.

• Step 5 Store vinyl records

  Keep albums away from sunlight, humidity and extreme temperatures — that rules out the attic, basement or garage. Store vinyl records upright — never stack records when storing or playing.

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