Vinyl records have a unique tone. Yet when envisioning this beautiful object, many think about the cracking noises that result somehow in a sloppy sound. However, a well maintained and regularly cleaned vinyl disc will benefit from a rich and free-from-flaw sound. This article will give you tips on how to best maintain your records, so they have the attention they deserve.

1. Use antistatic plastic sleeves to protect your vinyl discs. Those sleeves prevent dust from accumulating on the discs, and they are much more qualitative than paper sleeves which are popular among record shops. This is kind of an open door but you must get your vinyl record back in its sleeve every time you are done playing it! Some vinyl records nowadays come automatically with an antistatic disc protection in the sleeve.

2. Clean your vinyl discs before and after playing them. It is an easy-to-take habit to maintain your records with minimal effort. And it will also improve the quality of your sound. There are many gimmicks on the market to do so: carbon-fiber brushes, soft antistatic tissues, sprays or even automated machines.

Our Partner Pro-Ject offers a large range of products to keep your discs clean, such as this antistatic carbon-fiber brush:

3. Sometimes there is no other option than a 360 cleaning operation. No technique is better than another and every audiophile will preach for their own. Whether it is with a bit a water and Savon de Marseille, with 90° alcohol or with cleaning gels, all you need to manipulate your records with care, as they are fragile objects.

4. It is not recommended to touch the grooves of the disc. You should rather hold it with two hands by its spine. If you are a one-hand kind of person, you can always use the spine and the central sticker to help you. And for those who own 45rmp, the easiest way is to use the central hole.

5. For storing, we advise to do it vertically and to keep your vinyl records as tight as possible. Just as a books on a bookcase. Your vinyl records risk being damaged by the weight of the records above, if you store them horizontally. One vinyl record may weight as much as a feather, but try picking up 20 at once, and you will realize how heavy they can be ! You should also avoid storing them near a heat source as the discs could slightly melt or get distorted.

6. Check the state of the cell ! A damaged needle will do great harm to your records. To avoid so, you need to check the lifetime of your cell and change it accordingly. There are also many inexpensive tools with which you can clean the needle.

Our Partner Ortofon offers this needle brush, for example.