Short answer:  For better sound and longer record and stylus life.

Longer answer:  When you put the “needle” or stylus on a rotating record to play it, the stylus rides along the extremely narrow, V shaped, spiral groove that is pressed or cut into the surface of the record.   The recorded sound is encoded in the groove as a series of very delicate ridges, waves and bumps. The stylus tracks the groove and transmits the vibrations to the phono cartridge. The phono cartridge converts the vibrations to an electric signal and sends the signal to the pre-amplifier and on to the power amplifier. The power amplifier transmits the signal to the loud speakers, which re-creates the artist’s music as air vibrations that your ears can detect. And that you appreciate!

 If the record groove contains dust or dirt or mold, you hear the dirt as pops, clicks and noise instead of the music. Playing a record while dirty wears your expensive stylus. As the stylus tracks the dirty groove it can grind out the delicate ridges in the groove and destroy the original, high fidelity sound of what was once a valuable record.

Yes. To avoid getting the GrooveWasher replaceable cleaning pad heavily soiled, you can use our two sided microfiber sponge or towels. Place the LP on our Big G or Splash 2 ply record cleaning met, fully wet the record's surface with G2 or the stronger G3 Fluid. Soak for 1 minute then wipe off the grime with the microfiber. Repeat if there's any visible fingrerprints or other grime. Don't get discouraged! Some very dirty vintage records require two or three cleanings to be fully cleaned.

If the stylus plows up gunk it only means the record is still dirty and needs a repeat cleaning. Once the record is clean there will be nothing for the stylus to plow out.  

Beware of misinformation on the internet! There are many self-appointed experts who give bad information and tell silly stories to get more views. Avoid the GrooveWasher copycats and their disposable cheap products.

The science of cleaning hard surfaces is well established. Chemists select the optimum ingredients and concentrations for specific surfaces and cleaning methods. You can use toothpaste to wash your dishes or wood glue to clean your bath tub. It's always wise to use the cleaning solutions and methods that are designed for their intended surfaces.

Specifically to answer this question, the best way to clean a vinyl record is to use the GrooveWasher tools and solutions that are designed for the delicate surfaces of your valuable vinyl records.

The GrooveWasher Team formulated High Tech G2 Record Cleaning Fluid to safely and effectively clean vinyl records. G2 Fluid has super low surface tension which allows the fluid to penetrate to the bottom of the microgroove. Our testers and customers tell us G2 Fluid is the best record cleaning fluid they have ever used.  And G2 Fluid is affordable.  It costs less per cleaned record, than the alternatives.

The GrooveWasher System has two parts that work together to clean vinyl records effectively, quickly and at low cost. Like cleaning any other hard surface, GrooveWasher uses the “spray and wipe” method. The proof of this method is the improvement in the reduced noise/quiet sound floor of the record, before and after cleaning with the GrooveWasher.

There are hundreds of methods and products you can buy to clean your records. After all, they are your records, your investment. Today, many audiophiles choose GrooveWasher as fast, effective and convenient tools and solutions to clean and care for their record collection.  

Some GrooveWasher manual cleaning product users also use a vacuum or ultrasound record cleaning machine or spin their records in a bathing device. The vacuum or bathtub is a good tool when you want to clean 10 to 100 records at a time.

The GrooveWasher method is for "single record" cleaning. (Or for the manual clean step before an ultrasonic deep rinse.) GrooveWasher is convenient when you want to quickly clean one or a few records. And for fine grooming just before play. For machine cleaned records, the GrooveWasher G2 Fluid damp pad wipe is smart to do just before cueing the stylus. Removes room air dust and static on contact. 

The GrooveWasher hardwood handle and cleaning pad was inspired by the original Discwasher record cleaning systems of 1972 to 1982. The GrooveWasher handle has a shape and size that fits your hand, even better than the iinspiration. It does not have the oval routed hole of the vintage system. Instead the GrooveWasher handle is shaped to hold a replaceable and washable cleaning pad, which is an improvement over the Diecwasher.

G2 Fluid was inspired by the Discwasher record cleaning solutions of 1972 to 1982. The ingredients of G2 Record Cleaning Fluid are from the same or similar chemical families that were used to make the D2, D3 and D4 fluids. However, G2 Fluid uses current state of the art surfactants, including a super-wetting surfactant, that were not available in the 1970s. Every ingredient in G2 Fluid has been researched and tested for non-reaction to PVC vinyl, the primary ingredient in vinyl records. This means that G2 Fluid is perfectly safe to use on vinyl records. We have not tested G2 Fluid on the various types of 78 RPM records. In an abundance of caution, use GrooveWasher solutions only on modern vinyl records.

G2 Fluid cleans vinyl records without the need for rinsing. Like the vintage Discwasher fluids, G2 Fluid leaves no detectable residue on the record’s surface when used according to the instructions. You can test this for yourself. Spray a little G2 Fluid in the palm of your hand or on your eyeglasses and wipe with a clean towel. There is no residue you can see or feel. Like the D series fluids, G2 has a tiny percentage of powerful active ingredients to volume. All of the ingredients evaporate quickly after wiping.

The carrier for G2 Fluid is highly purified deionized water. This is laboratory quality water with zero particulates. The electric ion capacity is extremely low, meaning this water will not transmit an electric charge. Therefore, G2 is anti-static on contact with the record's surface. Mist spray G2 Fluid on the cleaning pad or microfiber sponge or towel and damp wipe the LP as it rotates on the turntable. Static charge will be eliminated on contact.

If your vintage Discwasher brush is clean and in good condition, G2 Fluid is a good choice. We tested G2 Fluid with an unused original D brush from 1972 as well as later pad brushes in good condition. G2 cleaned records well with them all.

Our record cleaning solutions are designed to clean vinyl records (made from PVC vinyl with various formulations of plasticizers) without harm. We warrant that G2 and G3 and GSR are fully safe for use on vinyl records. They are not designed or tested for use with any other materials that have been used to make recordings.We do not recommend that you use our vinyl record cleaning solutions on 78s

Prior to the use of PVC vinyl, there were many different materials, including “shellac” that were used to make records. So you can’t assume that what you use to clean one 78 record will be safe on another 78 record. Some of these materials will delaminate if they are wetted with water or any other fluid.

The GrooveWasher replaceable cleaning pad is an innovation over the Discwasher handle pads (and the cheap copycats in the market now.) The original Discwasher record cleaner had a cleaning pad that was permanently glued to the handle. The GrooveWasher pads are attached to the wood handle with a special type of velcro. They are easily removed, washed and reinstalled on the handle.

The fabrics used on the Discwasher brushes were a napped directional fiber velvet. This was a good choice for the time.

The GrooveWasher Black Magic cleaning pad fabric is similar in soft scrubbing action as the original Discwasher fabrics. For most cleaning needs, our All Purpose Pad, with super absorbent terry-cloth style microfiber fabric, works great. For damp pad fine grooming, just before play, we offer the Suede Microfiber Pad. Buy one wood handle and swap out cleaning pads as needed.

The GrooveWasher cleaning pad is attached to the walnut handle with a low profile version of velcro. Carefully pull the pad away from the handle by the pad base. Then rinse the pad under the faucet. Apply a few drops of laundry detergent. Rub with your fingers to remove the dirt from the fabric. Rinse and squeeze dry with a clean towel. Let the pad air dry overnight. When the cleaning pad is worn out, order a replacement on our website. (Also see the pad washing videos on the pad product listings.)