When you brush your vinyl record to get rid of the dust and light contaminants, consider the material of the brush bristles, their hardness, and flexibility, frequency of placement. These factors are important for measuring the pressure you need to apply to the brush and subsequently, the vinyl record. The harder the bristles, the less pressure should be applied. An anti-static carbon fiber brush is a standard tool for vinyl record cleaning for many decades already, and a popular consumer choice, too. That’s why we use it as an example in the below recommendations.

How to use Anti-Static Brush on Vinyl

  1. Ensure the brush is clean. Some brushes for vinyl records have the cleaning appliance (usually located on the handle). For others, use a piece of wood or plastic (e.g. a new hair comb) with protruding non-sharp prongs. Rub the bristles mildly against the prongs to remove the particles from the brush.
  2. Put the brush on the record, with the long bristles lightly touching its surface. Hold the brush with your hand, and regulate the pressure.
  3. Spin the record 2-4 times while holding the brush on it. Make sure the bristles’ tips touch and sweep the vinyl.
  4. Take off the brush from the surface and clean it. No need to glide the brush to the center or to the edge of your LP. Simply lift it off the record and clean. For discharging the static load, rub the bristles mildly against some metal object.
  5. Put the brush back on the record. Press it a little harder to the vinyl surface so that the shorter bristles touched it.
  6. Spin the vinyl on the platter for 2-4 full rotations. This will clean a part of the LP, with the width corresponding to the brush width.
  7. Remove the brush and clean it. Repeat the whole procedure on other grooves of the vinyl record.