A well-cared-for record collection will happily outlast the turntable that plays it — and sound better every time you drop the needle. None of this is complicated or expensive; it’s mostly good habits. Here’s how we look after ours.
Handle by the edges
The simplest rule and the most important: hold records by their edges and the label, never the playing surface. The oils from your fingertips attract dust and settle into the groove, and that’s exactly where you don’t want it. It becomes second nature quickly.
Keep them clean
Dust is the enemy — it muffles detail, adds crackle and, dragged through the groove by the stylus, causes wear. A carbon-fibre brush before each play lifts surface dust in seconds. For records that need more, a proper cleaning fluid or a record-cleaning machine works wonders, and second-hand finds in particular can be transformed. A clean record simply sounds clearer.
Mind the stylus too
It works both ways: a dirty stylus drags grime across clean records. Give it a gentle clean with a proper stylus brush (back to front, never side to side), and remember that the stylus itself wears out over time. A worn stylus doesn’t just sound dull — it can damage your records. If yours has done a few thousand hours, it’s worth having us check it and fit a fresh Ortofon if needed.
Store them upright
Records should stand vertically, like books on a shelf — never stacked flat, which warps them under their own weight. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from radiators, since heat is what warps vinyl. Good inner sleeves (anti-static, rather than paper) protect the surface between plays and are a cheap, worthwhile upgrade for a treasured collection.
The right support helps everything
A turntable that’s stable, level and isolated from vibration tracks the groove more accurately and treats your records more kindly. It’s another reason we’re such believers in proper support furniture — it protects both the sound and the vinyl itself.
Bring your collection in
If you’ve inherited or rediscovered a collection and you’re not sure where to start, bring a few along to the showroom. We’re always happy to talk cleaning, storage and setup over a coffee — and to make sure your turntable is treating them as well as they deserve. Get in touch anytime.
— Duncan Lewis, Chief Sound Enthusiast, SMC HiFi
