Best Ways to Store Vinyl Records

In a digital world, people who prefer analog are often left behind. This includes people who collect vintage items, such as vinyl records. If you are one of those people, you know how hard these things are to replace. Because of this, you must learn how to take care of them and store them properly. Whether in your basement, attic, or storage unit, as you read, you will learn how to store vinyl records properly so that they will be in pristine condition for years to come. Trust us, you will want to know this information. If you do not take care of your records correctly, you may not be able to get your hands on a new copy. Read on below for more.

Clean Your Records

Before you store your records, you need to clean them properly in case you want to play them in the future. There are a few tips you need to go over. A record-cleaning brush is your best friend for cleaning off dust and grime from your record collection. Gently brushing your vinyl is the best way to get dirt and grime off, but vinyl cleaning kits and solutions are also available. If you use a vinyl cleaning solution, take a microfiber cloth, spray the solution on the vinyl, and wipe down the record in a circular motion. That way, you will clean all the grooves without damaging the vinyl. Whatever you do, do not use something with rough fabric, like a towel or T-shirt, to clean them. This can cause tiny scratches on the vinyl, which ruins the experience when you are trying to listen to it.

Store Them In Their Dust Jackets

Vinyl records come in their dust jackets, and keeping them there will be wise. This will ensure that it does not accumulate dirt and grime over time. You should only pull them out when you want to play them on a record player, but you should not just leave them out regularly. If you do, you will likely experience distortions and skips if it accumulates too much dust. Sure, you can dust it off and play it anyway, but why do that when you can put it back where it belongs? If you lose your sleeve, that’s fine. Get a plastic sleeve for them instead.

Stack Them Vertically

Do not stack your vinyl records horizontally. They will begin to warp if you store them horizontally or diagonally (slanting them). This is because the other vinyl records are causing undue pressure on the record, which warps it, effectively making it useless. You will also want to make sure the place you store it is at an even temperature–not too hot or cold. 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit should be fine; otherwise, you might ruin them. Keep them in a cool, dark, dry place, and they will last for years.

Rent A Storage Unit

If you want access to storage rentals to store your precious records, you do not need to look further than Mini U Storage! At Mini U, many rental options are available to make the process as flexible as possible. Contact us today and store your records and other valuables at one of our convenient storage facilities.