Cleaning and storing records properly: how to keep your collection in top condition

A well-cared-for record still sounds great after decades. Dust, fingerprints and poor storage, on the other hand, are the most common causes of crackle, hiss and skips – and they put extra wear on your turntable's stylus too. The good news: a few simple habits keep your collection in top condition for a long time.

Why care matters so much

The stylus runs through the groove with very little tracking force. Every speck of dust gets dragged along, makes noise and over time can wear down both groove and stylus. So clean records don't just sound better, they last longer – and so does your stylus.

Handle them the right way

The simplest protection costs nothing: hold records only by the edge and the label, never on the playing surface. Skin oil attracts dust and settles in the grooves. After listening, the record goes straight back into its sleeve instead of lying open on the table.

Dry cleaning before every play

For everyday use, a soft carbon-fibre brush is all you need. Here's how:

1. Put the record on and let the platter turn.
2. Lower the brush gently and hold it still for one or two turns.
3. Slowly draw the brush out towards the edge so the dust doesn't fall back onto the record.

It takes ten seconds and stops dust from settling in the first place. Tap the brush itself clean regularly.

Wet cleaning for used or very dirty records

Flea-market finds and records that have been stored for a long time need more than a brush. For wet cleaning there are special cleaning fluids, manual washers and record-cleaning machines. As a rule:

• Use only suitable fluids. Products made for records, or distilled water with a little cleaning agent. No glass cleaner, no washing-up liquid in high doses.
• Protect the label. Paper labels can't take moisture – washers with a label guard help.
• Work along the grooves, in circles and never across them.
• Let it dry completely, ideally upright in a drying rack, before the record goes back into its sleeve.

After wet cleaning, a new anti-static inner sleeve is worth it. Old paper sleeves often shed dust themselves.

Don't forget the stylus

A clean record does little good if the stylus is dirty. Use a small stylus brush to remove fluff – always from back to front, in the direction the record turns. A worn stylus can be heard as distorted treble and sibilance.

Store them properly: upright, cool, dark

• Always upright. Records stacked flat warp under the weight of the others. On the shelf they should stand straight, not lean at an angle.
• No heat, no sunlight. Vinyl warps when it gets hot. Windowsills, radiators and the car in summer are off limits.
• Normal humidity. Damp cellars damage sleeves and labels, and mould is a risk.
• Use outer sleeves. Clear protective sleeves keep the cover free of ring wear and scratches.

On the go: protecting records and turntable

If you take your music with you – digging, to friends or on holiday – carry your records in a sturdy bag where they stand upright and can't slide around. Never leave them in a parked car in the heat.

The turntable needs protection on the go as well. The Coturn CT-TWO is built to travel, with a battery and Bluetooth, and the matching Coturn Case protects it with a zip and has an inner pocket for puck, brush and cable – so your care kit always comes along.

Quick checklist for record care

• hold records only by the edge
• brush briefly before every play
• wet-clean second-hand records once
• clean the stylus regularly
• store upright, cool and dark
• pack them well when you travel

With these habits, your collection will still sound as good in many years as it does today.