How to Use a Record Brush - Avoid Damage!

A carbon fiber record brush is one of the oldest but arguably most essential turntable accessories.

To keep on top of dust, it's wise to use a carbon fiber record brush before and after playing each side of your records.

There's some debate out there about the best method, so in today's video, I explain the best and safest approach to get effective and safe cleaning results.

Resources & Links: (AAF = Amazon Affiliate Link)
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AudioQuest Record Brush (AAF):

Record on deck (Black Nasty - Talking to the People:

Full article on How to Use a Record Brush:

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#vinylrecords #vinylcommunity #recordcollection #recordcleaning

[soundmatters]

Thanks for watching! Drop your comments and questions below. If you'd like to support the channel, check the video description for many DISCOUNT CODES codes to enjoy money off various products and feed your vinyl habit! (I earn a small commission - no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

[markmalasics]

I just love the attitude: if you're not doing it the way I do it, it's wrong.

[paulrevelli]

I've always followed Audioquest's directions as they are clearly printed on the package:
I place the brush on the record WITHOUT PRESSING. It’s very important to let only the weight of the brush touch the surface of the record as evenly as possible. I start at the 9 o’clock position (not the 6 o'clock position) perpendicular to the spindle, let the record rotate three or four times, and then gradually swing the brush COUNTERCLOCKWISE to the edge of the record before lifting it off. Definitely a matter of "whatever works" for some people, but this method works for me every time.

[calvinnapier]

I just got myself a Record Doctor LP Goat 🐐 Hair Brush. Have to say so far I'm loving this brush and the tips are very soft. So anyone that might want to drag it across the vinyl, I'm positive it won't scratch. My records so far are very quiet and very clean.

[Deebhoy]

I've just found out I've been doing it wrong for the last 35 years 😂. Thanks for the video. Often the most simplest of videos are the most effective 👍

[michaelbelluso]

Thanks for the content. My brush and first turntable with blue ortofon as well. Had not considered the drag across the vinyl as bad until now. How I had learned to use brush from another YouTube video many years back. Now that you mentioned it, the dust does get scattered with my method. Gratefully educated. 😊

[PBvan]

always good to pool our information! I connected an earth cable to my brush so now it removes the static from my records completely. Dust also comes off more easily. All I used was an old speaker cable and some duct tape.

[mic]

Discwasher© from the 1970's. Walnut handle, soft brush, D3 (now D4) vinyl cleaner. I've cleaned my hundreds of records, thousand of times and it still gets the job done. I now use a different fluid as the D4 is hard to find and very speedy. When they make a better product (in the USA) I'll maybe buy it.

[johnpischedda]

Thanks so much I've been pressing too hard and also not utilising the front of brush back of brush technique! Practical advise much appreciated !

[kidsonicofficial]

As a DJ, it's important to be quick, so your method works.

[vinyl]

I start by using a crabon fibre brush the exact way in the video.i then use a velvet brush to get rid of any remainig dust.seems to work great for me.

[vinylwood]

Thx for this cleaning info. I have had vinyl for five decades now and I was always taught to glide the brush to the center and touch the spindle. Also no one ever mentioned the fact of keeping the brush more strt up and light touch. Good quick vid b

[igohardkoncrete]

i learned the hard way be careful and don't apply to much pressure or else you will scratch your records up IMMENSELY lol

[ashtontechhelp]

I have found that the most effective method for removing dirt from the grooves is actually not to spin the disc. Instead I hold the disc stopped with my finger as I hold the brush at 45 degrees, sweep around the disc, then rotate the disc. This acquires a line of dust that can be then swept off to the side. This method does not seem to introduce scratches onto the surface and pulls a ton of dirt from the grooves. I am able to use somewhat more force to drive the bristles deep into the grooves and there is so much more length pulling dust out of the grooves by this method, really picks the dust out.

I then repeat this when I put the disc away, as the needle pulls a lot of dust from the disc as it plays. You don't really want anything rolling over your playing surface when the disc is in the sleeve.

[michaellundsrensen]

I use the carbon fiber brush with my antistatic gun. Works perfect every times.
Good video!

[Jorge-putr]

This is pissing me off. I’m doing it the way you’re telling me to and all it’s doing is collecting the dust into a pile.

[SidBonkers]

Ive used carbon fibre brushes since they invented back in the 1970's or '80 and have always pulled to the spindle as Im pretty sure thats what they used to advise but what you say about just lightly holding it upright and lifting it straight up makes perfect sense as dragging either way across the groove could act to clean the collected dust back off the brush further up or down the groove in effect just moving it around. Dont know why Ive never thought about this before.

[Colin]

Thank you for the advice when using the brush, I've been doing wrong since I bought my new deck 3 months ago ! I bought a small bottle of cleaning liquid spray from Amazon, which wasn't that great, hardly did anything when it came to the clicks and pops, so saw on here about G2, went onto a site to buy it, and I saw G3 was available 8oz in size, arrived last week, used it for the first time a few days ago, sprayed it on as recommended, used a short pile microfibre cloth to clean the LP, then sprayed the LP with distilled water, and used a deep pile microfibre cloth to finish the drying/cleaning process, omg, I couldn't believe how good it sounded, it takes a lot to impress me in general, but this blew me away, prior to cleaning the LP had a lot of clicks and pops between tracks in particular, but after cleaning those issues were reduced by 90% at least, no exaggeration !

[rm-mastering]

Great video, I too brush records exactly the same way you do and for good reason and it does work best, the other ways for example, like after brushing the same way initially then drag the brush across the record to touch the spindle (in some hope) to discharge any static charge on the brush, you will inevitably deposit some of the dust from the brush back into the groove as you drag the brush across, I have witnessed this on every occasion I used that technique. I have never been convinced or witnessed that touching the spindle method removes static and including static removing tools like Anti Static Guns... they still leave static on the records.

[yanivshef]

in my experience if I'm not swiping off the brash toward the record rim it'll leave a line of dust residue. i have been doing this for years and it doesn't impact my records at all.