l'art du son cleaning fluid

[The Black Adder]

Hi all.

Does anyone use or have used this before? Of so, what is it like?

Just looking in to some different stuff at the moment.

Thanks

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[Audio Al]

Not used it myself although I do have a bottle , Did read somewhere that records need a clean water rinse as some mould has been noted on stored records when just using the cleaning solution

[Mike Reed]

The only caveat to L'Art du Son that I've come across is not in its cleaning effectiveness but in its storage potential. A good friend bought an expensive large amount, went abroad to work for 6 months and came back to find it riddled with mould. I've also read of a number of similar instances on other forums.

I could be wrong, but it may be enzyme based, which may account for this. Personally, I use good old IPA mix with my RCM. Much cheaper and (seemingly) just as effective.

[The Black Adder]

Thanks guys, very informative.

I read within the bumf of the product and it says IPA can damage records. Now I'm one for reading between the lines on product descriptions but I did wonder if I missed something regarding IPA hence this thread really.

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[hifi_dave]

I've been using IPA + distilled water for over 30 years and never had any problems. Not found anything more effective.

[Mike Reed]

I read within the bumf of the product and it says IPA can damage records.



Spurious misinformation or a load of bollards; take your pick. Tony L, record dealer on pfm has been using this mix on many thousands of records, as have just so many others, including me.

[GJO]

L'art is organic based I think.So bacterial growth using standard DI water and not Lab grade which has a low bacterial level could be a problem and I found it needed an extra water rinse to remove the film it left behind.

Nowt wrong with the IPA mix,been using it since the early 90's and have had no problems.

[ReggieB]

I've been using it. Works fine for me, but I haven't a lot of experience with other solutions. It was sold to me as the best solution. It's far better than the stuff that comes with Knosti machines, but that's not really saying much.

[prsjnb]

+1 IPA fine with vinyl - I use laboratory grade (99.9%) mixed with double-distilled water to produce a 20% (v/v) solution containing 0.05% (v/v) Triton X-100 (used as a wetting agent). I filter mine (0.45 micron) before use and store in the dark.

L'Art du Son (LAS) works very well with the above (2 x washes 20% IPA 0.05% TX-100 followed by 1 wash with LAS diluted as per instructions; Okki-Nokki RCM).

Yes, it does form a white 'flocculant' precipitate on extended storage, but I do not believe this to be a result of bacterial and/or fungal contamination. I once sterile filtering a quantity of LAS prior to storage and it made no difference. I store 5 ml aliquots of LAS at -20 degrees Celsisus (i.e. in the freezer) and prepare a working solution in 50 ml sterile tubes polypropylene tubes when I have records to clean. In my experience, this will keep at least a month, in the dark, with out problems.

Another approach, if one has a pile of LPs that need cleaning over a period of 7 - 10 days, is to prepare up to 1 litre of working solution which I then store in a thermos flask (rinsed 2 x with boiling water) reserved exclusively for this purpose.

Jon ;-)

[Lurch]

Rightly or wrongly, I've cured the problem of unwanted growth in my water LAS mix by adding a teaspoon of bleach to each half litre I make up. Made the last batch before Xmas, is kept in an large open cupboard with my records and it's still clear as a bell.

[GJO]

I make 5ltr IPA/BP water and dishwasher rinse aid mixes at a time,it's stored in a cupboard and can last me some 3-4 years,I really couldn't be arsed having to make a mix every time I need to clean a few records and store it in a freezer.

[Mike Reed]

As I only infrequently clean records now I keep a mix of about 1/4 litre in the fridge.

[julesd68]

With Art du Son, as long as you don't have black or grey particles, it isn't biodegrading.

The white particles that you might see after a bit of storage are nothing to worry about.

The manufacturer recommends that you used mixed solution within a few months as it will biodegrade quicker than the concentrate.

[blackholesun]

I always dilute a very small amount which I use up completely, usually 1 ml LAS to 50 ml water. Good for six records or so. One time I left the solution for a couple of days and it started to smell bad.

[Phil Bishop]

I believe IPA can damage 78 records, or is not advised for use with 78 records.

I used Art Du Son for a while with a Moth machine and reckon it led to the demise of that said machine. Because the Art Du Son mixture is not volatile I reckon a residue collected in the machine and led to corrosion and the motor blowing.

I replaced the Moth with the Pro-Ject machine which was half the price and which I personally prefer - it's quieter and just as effective. Additionally, the supplied Pro-Ject "Wash It" solution seems excellent to me.

Cheers

Phil

[speedracer]

I use L'art Du Son mixed with RO water & tend to do quite a few records over a 2 or 3 day period, so mix 1 litre at a time and haven't had a problem so far. I have read about this residue that some people claim to get if not rinsed off but I haven't found that myself, although once Hoovered & dried off on my VPI I do tend to do it again but this time without agitating the mix to a foam.

[sq225917]

Anyone noticed its not the same formula that it was when it first came out?

[Pierre De Grenoble]

I believe IPA can damage 78 records, or is not advised for use with 78 records.

Phil

Absolutely correct. I also know a muppet who tried cleaning a valuable acetate recording with IPA. I don't believe he ever made that mistake again..

[mayebaza]

I have been using the stuff for years without any problems. I suspect not all distilled waters are equal.

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[blackholesun]

I have always used purified water bought at a local pharmacy and have never had any issues.

[GJO]

I have been using the stuff for years without any problems. I suspect not all distilled waters are equal.

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DI water has no industry standard,so you could be using tap water or much worse as when DI plants go tit's up they can dump chemicals and other nasties into the product water.
BP/purified water has to be manufactured to defined standards and has proper QC.

[mayebaza]

DI water has no industry standard,so you could be using tap water or much worse as when DI plants go tit's up they can dump chemicals and other nasties into the product water.
BP/purified water has to be manufactured to defined standards and has proper QC.Intresting[emoji848]

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[Mike Reed]

I guess I'm a cheapskate, as I've always harvested my freezer defrost water and triple/quadruple filtered it. Effectively it's distilled water, according to my physics lecturer friend. I do keep it in bottles rather than plastic, however.

[Pierre De Grenoble]

I guess I'm a cheapskate, as I've always harvested my freezer defrost water and triple/quadruple filtered it. Effectively it's distilled water, according to my physics lecturer friend. I do keep it in bottles rather than plastic, however.

I'm an even bigger cheapskate. I use tap water and have done for 10 years or more, I never noticed any difference when I swapped over from the purified stuff (except in my wallet).

The water here abouts is quite soft though.

[Mike Reed]

I'm an even bigger cheapskate. I use tap water and have done for 10 years or more, I never noticed any difference when I swapped over from the purified stuff (except in my wallet).

The water here abouts is quite soft though.

I'm glad you added that afterthought !:) I'd imagine it must be very soft there. Here is scale city for kettles and I'd dread the thought of cleaning my records from the tap, despite its cost.

[montesquieu]

I got a bottle of L'Art du Son with my Loricraft but I don't like it, I don't know about mould but I felt it left a residue and I don't like the way it foams up.

I use branded Pure enzyme cleaner for records that need it as a pre-clean, I use IPA mix for the main clean and then I rinse with pure water and a drop of wetting agent. So sometimes three passes each side, sometimes two.

[montesquieu]

I'm glad you added that afterthought !:) I'd imagine it must be very soft there. Here is scale city for kettles and I'd dread the thought of cleaning my records from the tap, despite its cost.

Gosh no, down here's they'd come out covered in white stuff!

[mac72]

I bought a bottle of L'art du... several months ago , cleaned few records (can't complain about its cleaning ability) then started using The Right One ,
after seeing this thread I pulled that bottle out of the cupboard ( dry and not exposed to the sunlight ) and there it is new life form growing in the bottle .

[struth]

it can grow in the vacuum residue tank as well.. i dont use any but did try it. prefer my own ipa mix

[mac72]

https://i.imgur.com/uSXcjYN.jpg

[Barry]

https://i.imgur.com/uSXcjYN.jpg

"It lives!"

[alphaGT]

It all sounds very troublesome to me. A foamy record wash that needs rinsing, and may grow alien life forms in it? Finding many rare ingredients to make my own wash? Or distilling rinse water? I just buy a bottle of MoFi Super Record Wash, and it lasts and lasts. I’ve had the same bottle for about 3 years now, so at $25 a bottle, it is certainly not breaking the bank, and I have no complaints about it’s effectiveness.

Russell

[mac72]

I've been using The Right One recently and it is very good , I'm afraid UK sourced only , wasn't very keen on MoFi stuff - on greasy records I had problem to work it into the grooves.

[GJO]

I'm an even bigger cheapskate. I use tap water and have done for 10 years or more, I never noticed any difference when I swapped over from the purified stuff (except in my wallet).

The water here abouts is quite soft though.

I used to look after the pure water systems at Dialysis clinics around Cardiff,there were 3 at the Hospital and 3-4 within about 5 miles,the water wasn't very soft and had very high bacterial and organic levels.

[Pierre De Grenoble]

I used to look after the pure water systems at Dialysis clinics around Cardiff,there were 3 at the Hospital and 3-4 within about 5 miles,the water wasn't very soft and had very high bacterial and organic levels.

In defense of my wallet :D

our latest kettle of two years still looks shiny on the inside.

I mix my cleaning solution 20% IPA, 80% water and 3 drops of Triton X100 in 5 litre batches stored in a translucent plastic container. it can take me 18 months/ 2 years to work through that and I've never seen any mould or discolouration.

I admit that this might not be acceptable for some, but it works for me.

[GJO]

In defense of my wallet :D

our latest kettle of two years still looks shiny on the inside.

I mix my cleaning solution 20% IPA, 80% water and 3 drops of Triton X100 in 5 litre batches stored in a translucent plastic container. it can take me 18 months/ 2 years to work through that and I've never seen any mould or discolouration.

I admit that this might not be acceptable for some, but it works for me.

With 20% IPA,any living micro organism's will have been wiped out,however the residue leftover will still be in the water,still as you say,whatever works for you.

[struth]

i use 25% ipa. also add a little more wetting agent than they say too. works better

[GJO]

I use two mixes mainly 25% IPA,but if a disc is still noisy I use a 33% mix if this doesn't work I bin it.

[Mike Reed]

Yup ! 1:3 ratio here too. The 'mould' problem has only ever been associated with T'Art d.s., to the best of my knowledge.

[struth]

Just checked my recipe. Not made any for a while. It's 27.5% IPA. Medi grade water and 12ml ilfotol. Plus a splash of fabric conditioner like cover zero or similar without fragrance additives. This helps with antistatic without causing any probs or residue.

Always make a litre at time. I spray it on with a mister after having covered label with a old cd. Fits great under the screw tightened on the moth.
Then it gets a zero star- ing and into a anti static inner. All records are kept in vinyl sleeves

[GJO]

Yup ! 1:3 ratio here too. The 'mould' problem has only ever been associated with T'Art d.s., to the best of my knowledge.

That would be true ref mould,especially if using DI water which will have much higher bacterial levels than BP grade.

[alphaGT]

Just checked my recipe. Not made any for a while. It's 27.5% IPA. Medi grade water and 12ml ilfotol. Plus a splash of fabric conditioner like cover zero or similar without fragrance additives. This helps with antistatic without causing any probs or residue.

Always make a litre at time. I spray it on with a mister after having covered label with a old cd. Fits great under the screw tightened on the moth.
Then it gets a zero star- ing and into a anti static inner. All records are kept in vinyl sleeves

I like the idea of using a spray bottle. And covering the label with a CD is also a great notion. My Project has a clamp large enough it covers the label with a foam seal. But my old VPI did not, the CD trick would have worked well.

Russell

[montesquieu]

I use a mister as well, it's easier to control than runny fluids.

I cover the label with a nice wide record weight which I find I need sometimes on the Loricraft anyway to cope with slight warp wobble.

BTW I checked out my own bottle of L'AdS, sure enough it's full of floaters, less than two years old and stored in a dry dark cupboard. Shocking really. I'm really glad I didn't put it on very many records before I went back to an IPA mix.

[struth]

Ive got an old bottle of cleaner i reused..it has a screen that goes over the spray that really comes out fine and slightly frothy, and allows it to penetrate better. Been looking for another similar type of bottle but not found one.. got it years ago in lidl

[GJO]

I use these for dispensing https://www.amazon.co.uk/DaoRier-Medical-Plastic-Safety-Squeeze/dp/B07B2Q9D5P/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523620699&sr=8-1&keywords=safety+wash+bottle it's easy to control the amount of liquid dispensed and has a fine nozzle,so no need for a cd to cover the lable

[struth]

The noozle. Lol

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180413/b5b1d8c013f65212be11c69ba4e4d440.jpg

And with screen

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180413/e20bd38cfa9c5912ac16b0781ec79549.jpg

Was a bottle of stain remover if memory serves

[A.Grail]

For testing water / pre mixed branded or home brew fluids place, several drops on a mirror and let it evaporate - If there is residue / salts / deposits etc it gives you a clue what may be left to lurk in the groove.

[Mike Reed]

BTW I checked out my own bottle of L'AdS, sure enough it's full of floaters, less than two years old and stored in a dry dark cupboard. Shocking really. I'm really glad I didn't put it on very many records before I went back to an IPA mix.

Tom. you'd think that for an expensive and well known brand, the manufacturers would have done something about this, as I now know and have read of so many instances of 'mould' appearing whilst in storage. Was this made up mixture or the concentrate?

Personally, I can't imagine that this fungus (?) can harm records, although using it may require a water rinse afterward. Maybe it can be filtered or shaken out? I've never used it as the very cheap yet effective IPA mix doesn't 'go off' and, to my mind. has the advantage of having a quicker evaporation rate after vacuuming and before sleeving. Furthermore, one can be liberal with it due to its comparative v.f.m. aspect.

[montesquieu]

Tom. you'd think that for an expensive and well known brand, the manufacturers would have done something about this, as I now know and have read of so many instances of 'mould' appearing whilst in storage. Was this made up mixture or the concentrate?

Personally, I can't imagine that this fungus (?) can harm records, although using it may require a water rinse afterward. Maybe it can be filtered or shaken out? I've never used it as the very cheap yet effective IPA mix doesn't 'go off' and, to my mind. has the advantage of having a quicker evaporation rate after vacuuming and before sleeving. Furthermore, one can be liberal with it due to its comparative v.f.m. aspect.

This was the concentrate. Pretty much the same as pictured earlier in the thread with floaters in it. I only used one measure of it to make up a single bottle of usable cleaner, I didn’t like it as I considered it left a residue. I then went back to my old IPA mix and the concentrate bottle sat around ever since. I certainly can’t imagine using it now I mean who would wilfully spread fungus on their records?

[mac72]

I've checked L'art purchase date - 25/06/2017 - not even a year

[GJO]

I would doubt the growth is from fungus and is most probably caused by pseudomonas,this is a very common water borne bug which can rapidly form colony's given the right environment,ie anything organic to feed on.

[Mike Reed]

I would doubt the growth is from fungus and is most probably caused by pseudomonas; this is a very common water borne bug which can rapidly form colonies given the right environment; ie anything organic to feed on.

You may well be right, but here's me thinking that our colonial days were over.

'The Art of Sound' would appear to be very unsound, then.:)