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- The Spin-Clean Record Washer is a little yellow unit that has been around since the '70s, but it remains one of the most straightforward and effective ways to wring the dirt and grime from the grooves of your records.
- Right now, the Spin-Clean Record Washer is discounted to $60 on Amazon, which is currently $20 off its normal price as a Cyber Monday deal.
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People are into vinyl again. Whether it's due to a desire to feel closer to their music, or just to rebel against the rise of lesser-sounding streaming services, sales keep going up. That, in all likelihood, means that there are plenty of people who are getting their first taste of the format and are just now learning how to properly care for their records.
And that means cleaning. The downside of owning physical music is that it's physical, something that gets worn down by its environment over time. To keep it sounding its best, it needs a good scrubbing every so often.
You can do this by hand, but it's not hard to see how that could get tedious with a larger collection, especially if you've bought used. Thankfully, there are dedicated cleaning machines that'll take most of the work off of your hands.
The easiest of these to recommend is also one of the oldest: the Spin-Clean. The little yellow unit has been around since the '70s, but it remains one of the most straightforward and effective ways to wring the dirt and grime from the grooves of your records. Since more elaborate solutions can cost hundreds, the $70 kit is also one of the most affordable.
The Spin-Clean still requires a bit of manual labor to work, but all in all, it's simple to use. Everything is done by hand: You just mix up its cleaning solution, toss it in the box, insert the record between the included brushes, and rotate the record by its edge.
Depending on how dirty it is, it should only take three to five spins to get a good wash, since the whole setup cleans both sides of the vinyl at once. You get a couple of cloths to dry it from there. (Though you might want to air dry instead.) One batch of washer fluid should last you a couple dozen records, but if you run out, replacement bottles start at $8.
You do pay a little bit for the name and the build quality here, but there's a reason this thing has endured for decades: It works. Its 4.4 rating on Amazon after 850 user reviews should reflect that. If you're willing to put in a little more work to keep your vinyl in good shape, the Spin-Clean is well worth a look.
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Ellen Hoffman
Editor-in-Chief, Service Journalism
Ellen Hoffman is the Editor-in-Chief of the Service Journalism division, where she oversees Insider's reviews, reference, and personal finance coverage. Ellen joined the company in 2015 as the founding editor for reviews and grew the team to more than 30 editors, reporters, and fellows. For the last six years, she has led the strategic planning for coverage of major retail sales events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. She has also appeared on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria" as a product expert. In 2018, she was "Highly Commended" by the panel for the FIPP and UPM Rising Stars in Media Awards. Previously, she was the shopping editor at Refinery29. She graduated from Fordham University with a degree in history and economics.Say hello at ehoffman@insider.com, and tweet her @ellehoff11. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnpJqwqXvSqaCnZZOhsqK6jKucnKeimXq4rdKhnKtloprDqrHW