Vinyl Care 101: Tips for Cleaning, Storing, and Caring for Your Vinyl Collection

In a time where streaming services are the main way people listen to music (think Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube), it’s hard to imagine that vinyl records would have made such a resurgence.

Mainly fueled by millennial hipsters, vinyl is considered the comeback kid. In the first six months of this year alone, 17 million vinyl records were sold in the U.S.* Even stars like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Harry Styles are making vinyl an important part of their marketing mix.

Whether you’re new to collecting vinyl, just inherited your parent’s collection, or have a great collection already, we put together a few simple tips for cleaning and storing your records so your collection stays in perfect condition and the sound is preserved for many years to come.

A Quick Guide to Storing and Cleaning Your Vinyl Records

A quick Google search will bring up so many ideas on how to care for your vinyl that your head will spin (you can start singing…you spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round like a record, baby, right 'round, 'round, 'round”). We’ve narrowed all of the suggestions down to a few simple and trusted tips: 

• Avoid extreme temperatures -  If you were born anytime in the ‘70s or earlier, you know what heat can do to your vinyl. It’s not pretty! You will want to keep them in a cool, temperature-controlled area with a low humidity level to help prevent warping.
• Store in the upright position - Another way to avoid warping is never to stack them horizontally or pack them too tightly. The weight and pressure will eventually warp them over time.
• Use the proper type of inner sleeve - Inner sleeves help prevent your vinyl from collecting dust or moving around inside the jacket and getting scratched. We recommend using a paper sleeve or a plastic antistatic sleeve. Periodic inspection of the sleeve is also crucial as they can deteriorate over time, especially paper sleeves. 
• Dry cleaning method - Using a soft cloth or velvet brush, going with the grooves, gently wipe free any loose debris. Don’t forget to clean your brush or cloth regularly, or you will transfer dust and debris from record to record.
• Wet cleaning method - Use a record cleaning solution and soft (microfiber) towel to give your vinyl a deep clean. Use a different microfiber cloth to dry the vinyl. Always remember to wipe (whether wet or dry) going with the grooves.
• Don't forget the stylus - Gently brush the stylus free of dust and/or fuzzies regularly.

It might sound like a lot, but we promise it’s just a few simple steps that will come naturally once you get into the groove. To help, we recommend purchasing a Vinyl Buddy Cleaning Kit on your next visit to QH. It’s an all-in-one kit that contains a cleaning solution, microfiber towel, velvet brush, and stylus cleaning brush.

Tips for Organizing Your Record Collection

Now that your records have been cleaned and properly stored inside their sleeves, let’s talk about how to show them off.

Alphabetizing your records is a classic way of keeping things organized. There's something comforting about using your A, B, Cs, and 1, 2, 3s, right?

There are a few rules to follow when alphabetizing your vinyl:

• Sort your albums by the first letter in the band’s name. For example, Pink Floyd is under P. 
• If the band’s name starts with A, An, or The, drop it and sort by the following name. The Beatles would be alphabetized under B.
• Proper names start with the first letter of the last name. John Denver is under D. Taylor Swift is under S.
• Rappers start with the first letter of their stage name. Trippie Red is under T
• For an artist with numbers as their name, spell out the number. 311 = Three Eleven or 13th Floor Elevators = Thirteenth Floor Elevators

Showing Your Record Collection Off

While shelves are the obvious way to store your records—especially if your collection is extensive—there are some fun ways to highlight your favorite album(s) or show what's spinning.

We love the "Now Spinning" display stand from Crosley. Place the record cover upright on the stand and place next to your record player to show off the album currently playing.

Don't have the space shelf space? Check out the inconspicuous album wall mounts from Roeht. The best part of their straightforward design? You can change the albums with one hand! What a great way to switch up your decor to fit the occasion or your mood.

We live, and breathe vinyl here at Quonset Hut. Our collection includes new releases, restocks, and reissues that span all genres from Rock to Country, Classical to Motown.

If you have questions about how to clean or store your records or want something specific to add to your collection, give us a call or head to the store. We’re here to help!

Sources:

• Our brilliant record expert Kyle Laudermilt
• The New York Times: Vinyl Is Selling So Well That It's Getting Hard To Sell Vinyl

Also in News