How to Remove Wax From an LP

Vinyl records must be cleaned gently to avoid scratches and indentations.

LP is a term used to describe a long-playing vinyl record. Vinyl records were one of the first ways to make a music album. Cleaning these types of albums is a careful process that must be done with steady hands in order to avoid scratching the album and avoiding water spots. There are several specific steps that must be taken to remove wax from an LP in order to preserve the record and keep it playing smoothly.

Things You'll Need

• Distilled water
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Dish detergent
• 2 lint-free cloths

Instructions

1. Mix 3 cups of distilled water, 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol (91-percent lab grade) and two to three drops of pure, all-natural, mild dish detergent in a bowl.

2. Dip a soft, clean, lint-free cloth in the solution and gently wipe the record with the cleaning solution.

3. Gently slide your fingernail or a putty knife underneath the wax and slide it off. Do not pull up on the putty knife because the record will become scratched or indented and will no longer play.

4. Wash the area with the cleaning solution.

5. Rinse the record with distilled water.

6. Dry the record with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.

7. Place the record in a drain board vertically to finish drying.

References

• ArtsAndMedia.com: How to Clean LP Records and CDs