Caring for Musical Media

If you still have cassette tapes, store them vertically to avoid damaging the edge of it.

Record-store owner David Jarosz provides tips on how to care for various types of musical media.

Cassette Tapes

• Keep tapes away from magnets and magnetic fields generated by devices such as loudspeakers, televisions and electrical transformers.

• Use a cleaning cassette regularly to keep the player clean.

Compact Discs

• Always return a CD to its case after use.

• Handle discs by the edges or center hole to avoid leaving fingerprints on the playing surface.

• Clean with a commercial cleaner or mild mixture of dishwashing soap and distilled water. Wipe in a circular motion starting in the center and working out. Dry with a clean cotton cloth.

Vinyl Records

• Always store records vertically, never stacked flat.

• Remove the outer shrink-wrap plastic cover because it will continue to shrink and could warp the record. For long-term storage, use high-density polyethylene or acid-free sleeves.

• Make a cleaning solution by combining one part rubbing alcohol and four parts distilled water. Apply in a circular motion with a clean cloth.

• You may be able to use a razor blade to carve through a really bad scratch that causes a record to skip. Just follow the original groove through the scratch. This will affect the sound in that spot, but it may cure the skipping.

Also in this Episode

TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-722
•	Workshop Timesavers
•	Righteous Reubens
•	Caring for Musical Media
•	Tip of the Day