Common questions about setting up and using the Spincare Record Cleaning Machine, including solution ratios, drying times, pad and roller care, and compatibility with other cleaning equipment.
Getting Started
The machine is hand-powered - there is no motor or vacuum. You rotate the record through the velvet brushes by hand, cleaning both sides simultaneously. The cleaning solution and brushes work together to loosen and lift dirt from the grooves.
It is a more thorough process. The machine cleans both sides of the record simultaneously and provides a deeper clean than a spray and cloth alone. It also increases throughput significantly if you are working through a large collection.
Yes. The machine cleans 7-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch records. The rollers reposition in a few seconds for different sizes.
Yes. The machine handles 140g, 180g and 200g pressings.
If the machine is new, run a few 140g records first - the brushes benefit from 10-20 records to bed in before working freely on heavier pressings.
We would not recommend it. We have not tested our cleaning solution on styrene records, so we cannot confirm whether it is safe.
Yes, they work well together. If your ultrasonic cleaner is not fully shifting stubborn dirt, use our machine first as a pre-treatment step to loosen and lift debris before the ultrasonic bath.
Many customers who combine the two report better results than either machine alone.
Yes. Our machine is a good pre-treatment step for heavily soiled records before vacuum cleaning. The combination is particularly effective on records where vacuum cleaning alone has not removed deep-set contamination.
Water & Cleaning Solution
The basin holds approximately 650ml of distilled or deionised water. Add 4 capfuls (approximately 20ml) of cleaning solution.
For heavily soiled records, increase to up to 6 capfuls, or change the solution more frequently.
No. Tap water contains contaminants that vary by region - including minerals and heavy metals that can be harmful to vinyl. Use distilled, deionised or reverse osmosis water.
Filtered water is an improvement over tap water but is not ideal. Filtration is designed to improve taste and health safety, not to remove every substance from the water. Some minerals that can harm vinyl may still be present.
We recommend distilled or deionised water where possible.
Yes. Reverse osmosis water is fine to use with the machine.
Alcohol (isopropanol) is effective, safe for vinyl, and dries very quickly - reducing the risk of records being re-sleeved while still damp. We also use a surfactant to improve cleaning action.
The main limitation is that it cannot be used on shellac records. If you have shellac in your collection, a non-alcohol solution is essential. Our machine works with both.
No. Discard the solution after each cleaning session. Reusing contaminated solution puts the dirt straight back onto the record.
Around 50 lightly soiled records or 25 heavily soiled records per basin. If you are cleaning a mix, start with the cleaner records and work toward the dirtier ones.
If you are unsure whether the solution still has life in it, pour some into a clear glass - if it is dark or discoloured, change it.
Use within 12 months of opening. Store with the cap tightly sealed, in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
One capful is approximately 20ml.
Yes. It works with manual, ultrasonic and vacuum machines.
1000ml solution:
- 2 capfuls per 650ml distilled water
- 1 capful per 325ml
- 0.5 capfuls per 160ml
150ml or 500ml solution:
- 4 capfuls per 650ml distilled water
- 2 capfuls per 325ml
- 1 capful per 160ml
Once diluted, use within 5-7 days.
Yes. Previous customers have had good results with the Knosti Disco Antistat, Spin Clean and Pro-Ject VC-E.
Use a ratio of 40 parts distilled or deionised water to 1 part cleaning solution (25ml per 1000ml). Our solution contains alcohol and should not be used on shellac records.
Results & Aftercare
Yes. The solution and velvet pads loosen the staining, and the microfibre cloth removes what is lifted. Heavily soiled records may need a second pass.
Approximately 1 hour. Our solution is alcohol-based, so it dries much faster than non-alcohol alternatives. Always re-sleeve into an HDPE inner sleeve, not paper.
An HDPE inner sleeve - our Audiophile or Dynamic ranges are ideal. HDPE is anti-static, anti-scratch and smooth.
Avoid paper sleeves. They are abrasive, leave fibres in the grooves, and undo much of the benefit of cleaning.
Yes. The cleaning solution and pads help dissipate static. Re-sleeving into an HDPE inner sleeve after cleaning maintains that benefit - paper inner sleeves can reintroduce static.
Mk1 & Mk2
The Mk2 machine has a fill line marked on the basin. The Mk1 does not.
The Mk2 foam is softer, making records easier to insert and remove. Visually, the Mk1 has a smooth back; the Mk2 has a central groove that helps it seat correctly in the Mk2 machine. Mk2 pads can be used in a Mk1 machine with no issue.
Yes, and we recommend it. The Mk2 pads are an improvement and work well in both machine versions.
No. The Mk1 pads are not compatible with the Mk2 machine.
Troubleshooting
This usually means dirt was disturbed but not fully removed during cleaning. It has been deposited on your stylus rather than lifted off the record. Clean your stylus first - you should notice an immediate improvement.
If the problem recurs, clean the same record twice, or use more solution to help the microfibre cloth lift stubborn debris. On heavily soiled or very old records, multiple cleaning cycles may be needed.
This is almost always caused by microfibre cloths not being washed before first use. The manufacturing process leaves loose fibres in new cloths.
Wash them at 30 degrees without fabric softener before using the machine, and test with a low-value record first. If the problem persists after washing, contact us.
Stop using the cloths immediately and contact us. If washing has not resolved it, the cloths may be defective and we will replace them.
The lint build-up is soft and will not damage your stylus or records, but will temporarily affect sound quality. Playing the affected records once or twice will clear it from the stylus.
Not a fault - it can happen occasionally with thicker pressings. To prevent it: hold the record by its edges, rotate it clockwise (with the grooves) as you lift, and keep it on the roller until it is clear of the pads before removing from the bath.
Maintenance
Replace the rollers when the rubber starts to perish or when records no longer turn smoothly. This is typically around 500 records cleaned.
Replace the velvet brushes when they show signs of wear such as balding - typically after around 500 records. Cleaning the brushes regularly to remove build-up extends their lifespan and maintains cleaning performance.