To remove and clean blood from vinyl records you first need to remove any dust or dirt (with a carbon fiber brush for example). Then you can use a wet cleaning solution with a microfiber towel to spray and wipe off the dried blood stains in the direction of the grooves. Repeat this multiple times until the blood stains are no longer visible and then leave the record to dry.
Preparation: Removing Dust
The first step to cleaning the record is now that the blood has dried on the vinyl, you’ll need to make sure that any dust or debris is brushed off by using a carbon fiber brush before doing any wet-cleaning. Without doing this, dust can get trapped in the grooves or move dirt around on the surface which can cause damage to the vinyl.
For a more detailed guide on how to clean dust off of your vinyl records, check out this article (opens in a new tab).
Cleaning Blood on Vinyl Records
The next step is cleaning the record by hand. There are many record cleaning kits sold online, here is a well-reviewed cleaning kit by GrooveWasher which includes their G2 high tech cleaning fluid, record label protector disk, microfiber brush/pad, and a microfiber towel. You could also use an alcohol solution as another example.
If you’re worried about using alcohol, you can check out this article. To summarize, it’s safe to use (isopropyl)alcohol on vinyl as long as you use a low concentration. (Something like 0.5% isopropyl alcohol to 99.5% distilled water.)
Using the cleaning kit:
– Place the record carefully on the microfiber towel.
– Place the label protector disk on the record.
– Next, spray 5 to 6 sprays of the G2 fluid onto the record across the whole surface. Leave that to sit for about 10 seconds.
– Take the pad and rotate it gently in the direction of the grooves to groom the record. Make sure to not apply to much pressure as it can push the substances deeper into the grooves.
– If the blood stain on the record is still visible, spray the G2 fluid again, wait 10 seconds, and repeat the grooming process until clean. This process may take a few times in order to get the stain off the surface.
– Leave the record to dry before playing.
Methods to Avoid
The method above is the safest way to clean blood from your records. There are plenty of methods online but here are some to avoid. The first one to avoid is the Wood Glue Method where you apply wood glue on the surface of your record and leave it to dry overnight as it is supposed to peel off the dirt and stains the next day.
The dangers are that the glue won’t always peel off in one piece and the residue can harm or contaminate the grooves. The second one to avoid is tap water and dish soap. Some tap water can contain minerals that can contaminate your records and soap leaves a residue.
For more educational articles about vinyl records and record players, check out my Educational articles section and if you have any questions or comments leave them below. Thanks for reading and enjoy the clean records.
No responses yet