dialectically Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipey Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 COVID ? 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metal beat Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Are you saying that if you take a strong detergent and rub a spot with a cloth wet with it, the spot does not come off? Spray and wipe even? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dialectically Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 9 minutes ago, dialectically said: you think the inner sleeves could be to blame? very unlikely IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dialectically Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Mold? That record needs a good clean, but that won't help those scratches. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quark Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Looks like mould to my eyes. Did someone wash them and put them away damp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dialectically Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 Never been washed an put away damp. Has even appeared on new records - never played. I would have thought mild would wipe off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Mold can spread, the spores can be very mobile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dialectically Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dialectically Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 1 minute ago, muon* said: Mold will not do permanent damage. What sort of cleaning did you do? I have tried Spinclean, VPI, alcohol, vinegar. any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metal beat Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 (edited) 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? 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 April 26, 2020 by metal beat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Should clean off if mold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyr Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 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! Mmmm, I'd get yourself checked for Corona virus, d. Maybe this is the first example of C-19 jumping from humans to vinyl!! 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awayward Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 I agree with trying an ultrasonic clean, vinyl is porous so mould could penetrate quite deep over a long time, tongue half in cheek, WD40 has 1000 uses, can’t hurt as the vinyl is stuffed anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrology Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Looks like mould - not one I own, but one Ive cleaned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Krause Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 Ultrasonic may loosen up the material in the grooves as suggested in earlier replies. Some people will do your records for a few dollars each, better than replacing them. Best of luck. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dialectically Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 This is unusual, maybe the milky stuff but haven't seen it in deposits like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martykt Posted April 26, 2020 Share Posted April 26, 2020 @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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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