Rolling Stone and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change.
For the Record: How to Clean and Care for Your Vinyl Collection
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Whether new or old, every record needs a bit of care to keep it free from crackles, pops, and scratches. Physical media — especially vinyl — needs a little more care than digital files, which won’t degrade if you play them non-stop.
More from Rolling Stone
Luckily, some of the most common issues with records are also the easiest to fix. We’ve outlined a simple guide for pain-free vinyl maintenance. From brushes and sleeves to sprays and crates, these are our favorite products for cleaning and caring for your records, as well as how to use them.
CLEANING BRUSH
Boundless Audio Record Cleaner Brush
$13.95 $18.99 27% off
Whether your record is freshly pressed or 50 years old, using a cleaning brush can make a big difference.
This one from Boundless Audio has carbon fiber bristles that’ll go deep into the grooves of your album to remove dirt, hair, and dust that has gotten stuck inside. The bristles are effective at cleaning, but soft enough that they won’t damage your record during use. We’re recommending Boundless Audio’s brush over others because it’s anti-static and electrically conductive. Static can attract dust particles to your album, so using this brush actually provides proactive protection.
To use the brush, place your record on your turntable and turn the power on. Then, hold your brush at a 90-degree angle and allow the record to spin under it. The idea is to move the brush from the inside grooves to the outside while it is spinning.
One thing to note, however, is to make sure you don’t press down too hard. While this brush has been designed specifically for vinyl records, jamming down on it can damage the grooves in the record and trap the gunk you’re trying to clean out. Keep your sweep nice and light and you’ll find your records are all the better for it.
After a good once or twice over, spin the brush back into its holster. As you’re flipping it back, the carbon fiber bristles will rub against the compartment and kick off any lingering dust. Do not touch the brush with your fingers. Your hands are oily by nature, and anything you drag onto the bristles will get transferred to your records during future use.
STYLUS CLEANER
Vinyl Buddy Stylus Cleaner Brush
$9.99
Cleaning your records is important, but it won’t do much good if your turntable’s needle is dirty.
Styluses get dirty by picking up dirt from your records, which can build up if you spin vinyl regularly. If you don’t clean it regularly, your stylus may get damaged, and need to be replaced. Vinyl Buddy’s Stylus Cleaner can help you avoid that.
To use, simply swipe the brush back to front lightly, clearing away any lingering dust and dirt. Once finished, leave the brush on your turntable motor board, or side table, bristles up, to avoid further contamination. If ever the brush gets too dirty, give it a good shake-out or use another fine brush to come it gently to remove dust or debris.
CLEANING SOLUTION + CLOTH
KAIU Vinyl Record Cleaning Solution 3-in-1 Supplies Kit
$9.25
If you’ve cleaned up the surface of your albums, but still hear a lot of clicks and pops, it’s time to deep clean your records.
KAIU’s 3-in-1 kit includes a bottle of alcohol-free cleaning solution, an anti-static microfiber cloth, and a silicon protector that will keep your album’s label from getting wet. It works to remove everything from oils and dirt to fingerprints.
To use, spray the solution onto your microfiber cloth, and lightly dap or wipe in a circular motion around your vinyl. Avoid pressing too hard on the vinyl, as that can cause any dust or gunk to sink deeper into your record. After a few spins around, let any leftover solution dry before playing your freshly cleaned record.
RECORD SLEEVES
Big Fudge Vinyl Record Inner Sleeves (100-Pack)
$28.95
Once your records are clean, it’s time to properly store them. Older records came in cheap sleeves that yellowed over time, so it’s worth upgrading them with a more effective set.
Big Fudge’s sleeves are made of heavyweight, alkaline and acid free paper that will not damage your records. They come in packs of 100, which means you’ll likely cover your entire collection with one set. We’re highlighting the 12-inch size, but they also offer a 7-inch version to protect your singles.
These sleeves have rounded corners, which make it easier to get your records out of their album jacket, and have enough slack that you can slide your albums out easily. Just make sure your vinyl is dry before putting them in a sleeve.
PLASTIC OUTER SLEEVES
Invest In Vinyl Clear Plastic Protective LP Outer Sleeves (100-Pack)
$22.95
For your records that are clean and protected with a premium quality inner sleeve, an outer sleeve is a great way to ensure they stay that way. An outer sleeve is a thin, plastic casing that slips over the entire record, jacket and all. Use these while storing your records to ensure your freshly cleaned or newly purchased vinyls don’t get dusty in between spins.
This set of 100 outer sleeves from Invest In Vinyl is a simple way to ensure a long shelf life for your record collection. The plastic sleeve is made of polypropylene plastic that’s three millimeters thick, and won’t wear or tear with regular use.
An added benefit to using a plastic sleeve is that you won’t risk your albums rubbing up against one another, which can eventually damage their jackets.
STORAGE CRATE
Darla'Studio 66 Vinyl Record Holder Wood Crate
$44.99
There are many ways to arrange and store your vinyl, but one rule remains the same: never stack your records horizontally. Stacking them on top of one another can cause uneven pressure to weigh down on your albums, warping them.
This crate from Amazon is an excellent addition to your home entertainment setup for a few reasons. It’s deep enough to allow you to easily stack your records, and long enough to hold up to 75 albums. This crate comes pre-assembled, which means it’ll be ready to use immediately.
Best of Rolling Stone
Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
1. Inner Sleeves
After you've picked up your vinyl album, you can do one of two things: either play them or store them. If you’re aiming for the latter, we recommend purchasing record sleeves. Record sleeves come in multiple styles and materials, but the important distinction is whether they are an inner or outer sleeve.
Inner sleeves are the thin, paper holsters that come with new records and act as buffer between the record and the jacket. For those of you dumpster diving at Amoeba, there’s a good chance your great finds will come without a sleeve. And even if your original Star Wars soundtrack from 1977 comes with a paper sleeve, odds are it’s seen better days.
When it comes to inner sleeves, we prefer Big Fudge’s pack of 100 Heavyweight sleeves. It's an easy buy and a great thing to have around should you come across a fantastic record that is without the proper protection. These sleeves are made of heavyweight, alkaline and acid free paper that will not damage your records.
PROS: Big Fudge is so confident in their product, they offer a lifetime guarantee, and will offer a full refund should you feel the product isn’t up to snuff.
CONS: Inner sleeves are great to prevent dust from building up, but won't be thick enough to protect against scratches.
Inner Sleeves
2. Outer Sleeves
For your records that are clean and protected with a premium quality inner sleeve, an outer sleeve is a great way to ensure they stay that way. An outer sleeve is a thin, plastic casing that slips over the entire record, jacket and all. Use these while storing your records to ensure your freshly cleaned or newly purchased vinyls don’t get dusty in between spins.
This set of 100 outer sleeves from Big Fudge is a simple way to ensure a long shelf life for your vinyl collection. The plastic sleeve is made of durable polypropylene plastic that won’t wear or tear with regular use.
PROS: Like their inner sleeves, Big Fudge offers a lifetime guarantee on these sleeves.
CONS: Sleeves are durable but will rip if you tug on them too hard.
Outer Sleeves
3. Vinyl Record Holder Wood Crate
While there are many different options for storing, one rule remains the same: never stack your records horizontally. Whether you keep them in a crate or on a shelf, it’s very important to keep your records vertical as stacking them horizontally can cause uneven pressure to weigh down on your vinyls, warping and distorting them.
When it comes to crates, this crate from Amazon is an excellent addition to your home entertainment setup. At 17.5 x 13.5 x 14 inches, the crate is deep enough to allow for easy stacking, should you want to pick up more than one.
PROS: The crates come pre-assembled which is a nice touch, and are ready for use the moment they arrive on your doorstep.
CONS: The dimensions are long enough to fit up to 75 vinyls per crate, though we’d recommend giving a little bit of breathing room so your records don’t get crammed together.
Vinyl Record Holder Wood Crate
4. Clear Acrylic Holder
For a chic and stylish way to store your records, we like this wood and acrylic holder from KAIU. The inventive design holds up to 50 records, and the shatterproof construction means the record holder won't bend or break under the load. The clear plexiglass lets you see your album covers easily. Little grooves and "ribs" on the bottom keep records upright, so you can easily flip through to find the one you want to play. The ribs also help to prevent warping, even with only a few records in the holder.
The record holder sets up in seconds -- no tools required -- and KAIU says the wood is sustainably-sourced. Choose from six different colors to match your decor scheme.
PROS: 100% risk-free purchase - if there's anything defective with the product you’ll get your money back.
CONS: Some users added pads to the bottom of the holder to prevent the wood from scratching their table and surfaces.