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Please help! Damaged vinyl.


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Hi all

 

I am hoping that the collective knowledge of the forum can help me out. 

Around 80 of my LPs have these whiteish spots on them (as a consequence they are unplayable) - please see pictures as an example. 
 

I had assumed it was mould or something similar but it does not clean off (have used brushes, spinclean, alcohol - you name it). 
 

I have a theory, as crazy as it sounds, that it is somehow spreading throughout my record collection so I am about to throw out all the damaged records. 
 

Does anyone k ow what might be causing this? Is there any way to cure the damaged records (I doubt it - it looks as though it has completely damaged the surface). 
 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 
 

 

 

0717996F-365A-43F4-AF31-A2E9280255E1.jpeg

849AAD6C-8483-4A91-877F-0E0456026086.jpeg

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12 minutes ago, metal beat said:

What do you store the records in - specifically the inner sleeves?   

 

Always store vertical?

 

Do you have a wet / dry Record Cleaning Machine or know somebody who does?

Hi

 

thanks is for the reply!


yes, I always store vertically. 
 

I have cleaned in a VPI machine and no joy. 
 

I typically store in these inner sleeves (please see picture)  
 

but I don’t think all damaged records were in the same inner sleeves. you think the inner sleeves could be to blame? 

image.jpg

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4 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

very unlikely IMHO

Thanks!

 

How depressing. A few thousand dollars worth of records down the drain!

 

ill buy new inner sleeves for the rest of the collection. 
 

does anyone have any recommendations? 

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10 minutes ago, dialectically said:

does anyone have any recommendations? 

I did ask if they spots will come off with rough cleaning.  Some strong detergent - spray and wipe?  Rub hard with a towel/cloth. Try it on a record you don't like.  If it works, follow with a spinclean or whatever.

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5 minutes ago, muon* said:

Mold?

 

That record needs a good clean, but that won't help those scratches.

That record is scratched to bits - will be going straight to the bin but thought I’d take a snap. 
 

can mould cause permanent damage to the vinyl? 
 

I would have thought you could simply clean it off? 
 

but these spots do not change whatsoever with cleaning. 

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1 minute ago, dialectically said:

That record is scratched to bits - will be going straight to the bin but thought I’d take a snap. 
 

can mould cause permanent damage to the vinyl? 
 

I would have thought you could simply clean it off? 
 

but these spots do not change whatsoever with cleaning. 

Mold will not do permanent damage.

 

What sort of cleaning did you do?

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40 minutes ago, dialectically said:

Hi

 

thanks is for the reply!


yes, I always store vertically. 
 

I have cleaned in a VPI machine and no joy. 
 

I typically store in these inner sleeves (please see picture)  
 

but I don’t think all damaged records were in the same inner sleeves. you think the inner sleeves could be to blame? 

image.jpg

 

Hmm.   Nothing wrong with what you seem to be doing and the u shaped poly inners are completely safe.  I have been using for 35 years with no issues. 

 

  As others have mentioned,  you need to try and wet clean them to see if those white marks come off.  Use wet cloth and go with the grooves - mild detergent will be ok as long as its washed/wiped off after.

  Then make sure the record is completely dry after cleaning. 

 

  Do you have any issues with mould or damp in your room where the records are stored?

 

  I am puzzled.

Edited by metal beat
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Just now, metal beat said:

I am puzzled.

 

5 minutes ago, dialectically said:

I have tried Spinclean, VPI, alcohol, vinegar. 
 

Isopropyl alcohol should clean off anything. Yes your pic shows a very scratched and dusty record but that white bloom should be a wipe away thing.

 

If it's not then I'd suggest it's a lichen and i'll go back to everyone else's question about the how you store them and the environment they're stored in. Air con, heaters, enclosed spaces, no fresh air. I'm clutching at straws here as I see your in Bleak city and humidity is not a problem you associate with it.

 

Where Shane is maybe, where I am definitely. But that white stuff...I'm sure I've seen it before. These 80 LPs, how often do you play them?

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1 hour ago, dialectically said:

Hi all

 

I am hoping that the collective knowledge of the forum can help me out. 

Around 80 of my LPs have these whiteish spots on them (as a consequence they are unplayable) - please see pictures as an example. 
 

I had assumed it was mould or something similar but it does not clean off (have used brushes, spinclean, alcohol - you name it). 
 

I have a theory, as crazy as it sounds, that it is somehow spreading throughout my record collection so I am about to throw out all the damaged records. 
 

Does anyone k ow what might be causing this? Is there any way to cure the damaged records (I doubt it - it looks as though it has completely damaged the surface). 
 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 
 

 

 

0717996F-365A-43F4-AF31-A2E9280255E1.jpeg

 

 

Mmmm, I'd get yourself checked for Corona virus, d.

 

Maybe this is the first example of C-19 jumping from humans to vinyl!!  :lol:

 

Before you throw out your 'damaged' LPs ... can you get one cleaned in a us tank?  That will get rid of anything growing on the vinyl - if anything will - I would've thought.

 

Andy

 

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Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I’ll take some better photos tomorrow (of a pristine, clean record - as I think the dusty old record is a bit distracting and doesn’t really show it up properly). Unlike mould - which I imagine would sit on top and be powdery - this is more of a scuff. It completely alters the vinyl. The grooves almost disappear and the surface is dull. No amount of washing, scrubbing and even scouring removes whatever it is. It looks like it has eaten away at the vinyl itself. 

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@dialectically, do any of your covers or sleeves have any of the white splotches?

 

It's very strange, it definitely looks like mould and the fact it's spreading to new LPs supports this though mould is usually pretty easy to clean off the actual vinyl. (Covers are are a different story though.... )

 

It might be worth throwing some Exit Mould on the throwaway LP to soak and see what that does. (Don't know how it will effect the vinyl though... )

 

The only other thing that I can think of that can effect multiple records and won't clean is the dreaded PVC mist though that doesn't look like splotches.

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