Ed Lansink
Correctly handling your records is the key to keeping them safe. This complete guide explains how to handle records correctly and outlines all the important elements that need to be considered.
I’ll also share a bunch of lesser-known tips that people often forget about when playing records too.
These will help to keep your vinyl record collection sounding great so you can enjoy music without any distractions.
Even when simply removing a record from the record jacket, there are good and bad ways of doing it.
Don’t rush getting records out of their inner sleeves. You can end up scratching them or tearing the sleeves.
Taking the proper steps will ensure you keep your vinyl record collection in good condition.
Here’s how to safely remove a vinyl record from its protective sleeve:
Step 1. Remove the inner sleeve (and the record within) from the album cover.
Do this by pulling on the inner sleeve itself and without touching the record grooves.
Normally the inner sleeve is stored inside the cover with the opening at the top, so this should be easy to do.
Step 2) Once removed, slightly open the inner sleeve with your thumb and finger, opening access to the vinyl.
If the record is static, this might be tricky, but it’s important that you free the record from the sleeve as best you can.
Next, turn the vinyl face horizontally for the next step.
Step 3) Turn your dominant hand palm up and place it in the gap below the vinyl, between the sleeve and the disc.
Place your middle finger and ring finger on the center label of the vinyl underneath.
Place your thumb on the edge of the vinyl, gently holding it with sideways pressure. Your thumb should rest on the edge rather than touching the flat surface.
This secures the vinyl in your hand.
Step 4) Slowly pull the vinyl from the inner sleeve.
It should slide out fairly easily.
Once the vinyl is fully removed, place the sleeve to one side, and hold the record by the outer edges with both hands for stability.
When the record is out of its sleeve, you should use correct handling techniques to help preserve the condition of your records.
Below are some basic rules that you should always stick to.
There is also a technique to put vinyl back in its sleeve safely. If you rush this, there is a tendency for the inner sleeve to get bunched up, which can tear it, and in turn, this can rip the main outer sleeve.
Static electricity builds up in our bodies due to friction. This static charge can be transferred to the record, which can cause further issues. It also attracts more dust to the vinyl when they accumulate a static charge. The best practice to prevent static buildup is to discharge your static energy before touching a record. Simply touch a grounded surface, such as a radiator.
Avoid creating too much friction on your body; this is usually built up as your feet rub across the floor and carpet. Pulling off sweaters also creates static as your clothes rub together.
Static buildup is more common in relatively dry environments (below 40% air humidity).
To maximize their longevity and quality, it’s also essential to store your vinyl records correctly.
It may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t store their records properly and leave them in piles on the floor.
It takes more effort and space to store a large collection correctly. If you’re serious about collecting vinyl, you could easily have anywhere between 100 and 1,000+ records. This can take up a significant amount of space.
Storing a few records is easy, but when you have a large collection, you’ll need to consider a few extra details.
Here are some basic pointers on how to store your record collection properly.
For more details on this topic, check out my full guide → how to store your vinyl records!
Vinyl is a fairly sensitive and brittle material, which is one of the reasons it went out of fashion at some point.
These are a few ways in which you can damage your records.
The most common type of damage received by vinyl records. If anything comes into contact (with enough force) with the delicate surface ridges of the record, it will leave scratches and permanently damage the playback quality.
Scratches can come in any shape, size, or length and create unwanted interference noise in the form of pops, clicks, or general noise.
Big scratches can make the needle skip, sometimes causing the vinyl to loop in one place.
Larger, deeper scratches can also damage the stylus tip itself and wear away at the sensitive tip more quicker.
Try to avoid scratching records at all costs. Due to the spiraling nature of vinyl grooves, one scratch from the center to the edge can affect the whole record.
When records are out in the open, they pick up dust and particles from the environment. This dirt builds up, collecting in the vinyl grooves. A small amount won’t have much effect, but the build-up over time can really mess with the sound quality.
The more vinyl is handled, the more oil and grease becomes stuck to the record. Human skin emits natural oil and grease (even if you can’t see or feel it) that clings to the vinyl. This makes the record even more susceptible to picking up dust and dirt, increasing the buildup of grime.
This is one reason why you should always avoid touching the record’s playing surface! Keeping your hands close to the edge prevents the grooves from getting oily and sticky.
Fortunately, it’s not the end of the word if you accidentally touch the playing surface, as you can clean vinyl relatively easily.
If you look after records properly, you should be able to keep them clean for a long time. But, if dust and dirt build up on your records, it can negatively impact the sound quality and listening experience. Keeping records clean is an essential part of record maintenance.
The needle will also pick up more debris from the record’s playing surface, meaning you will need to clean your needle more often. This can also eventually cause more wear on the needle of record players.
If you buy second-hand records and they’re not clean, you should give them a once-over before playing too. Deep cleaning records can help restore some of their former beauty.
Regularly cleaning your records is a great way to prevent dirt from building up and maintain both your vinyl and turntable. You can deep clean vinyl records to help restore some quality if they become muffled.
Below is a brief explanation of basic vinyl cleaning methods. For the full guide, have a look here → How to clean vinyl records
How?
You can buy a pre-made record cleaning solution or make your own using distilled water and isopropyl alcohol. Avoid using lighter fluid or tap water, as these contain impurities that can have a negative impact on quality.
The process is simple: spray the cleaning solution on the record’s surface, and wipe with a suitable soft cloth to help remove dirt. Make sure the record surface is fully dry before playing it.
Here are some recommended vinyl record cleaning products:
Enthusiast collectors and pros will even use a record cleaning machine to get the best results. One recommended model is the Pro-Ject VC-E record cleaning machine, although the high price makes it most suitable for serious collectors.
Vinyl records are supposed to be as flat as possible for clean, consistent playback, but these thin discs of PVC (plastic) can easily lose their shape if you’re not careful.
Excessive and sustained pressure or heat (sun, nearby radiators, etc.) will bend and warp the surface of the vinyl.
Warped records can sound horrible and even cause the needle to jump out of the groove, so make sure to keep your records flat.
Whilst warping should be avoided at all costs, in some cases, the issue can be fixed, but once a record is warped, it’s practically impossible to get it to be perfectly flat again.
If you want to try this, check out this guide → How to repair warped vinyl.
Under pressure, vinyl can crack and break. The only way to prevent this is to be careful with your records and make sure they aren’t exposed to too much force. Don’t drop records on their side, don’t hit them.
If a vinyl cracks or breaks, there’s not much else you can do, unfortunately.
Don’t be a fool! Here are some common mistakes to avoid when handling vinyl.
Cleaning records before and after playing is a great idea for several reasons:
A clean in time saves nine! Vinyl cleaning brushes are a quick way to remove dust.
The safest way to “load” a record is using the automatic lowering system of the tonearm – also called the cueing lever. Almost every turntable has a tonearm lever, which gently places and removes the needle from the vinyl.
Manually lowering and raising the tonearm is a risky technique and will likely result in damage to both your vinyl and the needle.
If done by hand, the chances are your hand will wobble too much, and you’ll use too much force. This can cause the needle to scratch the grooves, wearing on the stylus.
The cueing lever ensures that this needle is lowered and raised accurately without unnecessary force.
People often rush and just drop the needle onto the record. This isn’t a good idea and can cause several issues.
The needle won’t slot straight into a groove, even bouncing and skipping around the surface.
The drop force itself could instantly dent, chip, or scratch the surface of the record, along with damaging the needle itself. Like the above step, use the cueing lever to lower the needle safely.
If you aren’t careful when placing the record on the turntable, you can damage the center label with the spindle itself.
Aim to thread the spindle of the turntable directly through the center hole. It helps to have the turntable stopped rather than spinning.
Carefully lower the record (with two hands) onto the center spindle.
If you place the record incorrectly, the spindle post can scratch the inner label, even more so if the turntable is spinning.
Playing records with worn, dirty, or damaged needles is also a surefire way to degrade your vinyl records.
Keeping your needle clean and in good condition is super important, both for sound quality and to prevent damage to records.
If your needle is worn or damaged, you should probably replace it. If the needle is just dirty, a clean should do the trick!
For more info on these processes, check out my other guides:
Doing that is a great way to scratch up the record surface! Be patient and only spin up the turntable platter once you’ve placed and cleaned the record, and take it off only once the platter has come to a complete standstill.
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I'm a passionate vinyl collector, analog fan, and lifetime enthusiast of most things audio.
On VinyliQ I help fellow vinyl collectors enjoy their hobby to the max, sharing my knowledge about and passion for vinyl.