Jackson Free Press

So, you dig your parents' old vinyl LPs out of the attic, and you're ready to give them a spin on the new turntable you got for Christmas. You put the record on and notice a lot of pops and skips. Some argue that those imperfections are part of the charm of old records, and that's fine. The rest of us want to give them a good, deep cleaning.

I was skeptical of this method, but I gave it a try—and a few of my prized records went from unlistenable to playable. It involves using wood glue. Now, before you go pouring wood glue all over that valuable The Doors record, try it out on some lesser LPs that don't have any special meaning. It's best to take a couple of trial runs to work out the kinks.

What You Need

• Titebond II Premium Wood Glue.

This is really important. This particular brand bonds with the vinyl in a way other brands don't.

People have tried other brands with less effective results. Titebond II is available at most hardware and home improvement stores. I use the 16-ounce size.

• An old plastic card. Now, you have a use for that 1997 punch card from Camelot Music. You'll need a card to spread the glue on the vinyl evenly. Some people use a cake icing spatula.

• An old turntable or lazy Susan. You don't have to have this, but it helps in evenly distributing the wood glue.

Directions

Place the dirty LP on the old turntable or lazy Susan.

1. Spin the LP and pour the glue on the vinyl from the inside out. Use enough to eventually cover the entire surface
2. Use the plastic card to spread the glue evenly.
3. Place the LP flat on a hard surface (glue-side up), and wait until the glue is completely dry. (Usually takes three to six hours, but it varies.)
4. Once the glue is dry, peel it off the LP like a thick skin coating. Wipe away any excess glue remnants and dust with a soft cloth (I use microfiber cloths).

Play the LP and notice the difference.

A Few Notes

This method does not fix scratches or groove damage. If your LP has lots of scratches, nothing will replace the missing vinyl. If it's dust and dirt, though, the glue seeps deep into the grooves and attaches to whatever is hiding there. Theoretically, when you pull up the glue, the dirt comes with it. Some LPs are so filthy that multiple cleanings are necessary.

You'll find lots of cleaning products on the market for vinyl maintenance (I use Groovy Cleaner) to simply spray and gently wipe the record. But for those thrift store LPs that have been collecting dirt for years, the wood-glue method is excellent.