Your grooves contain musical treasures. They are valuable and in many cases, irreplaceable. Whether shellac or vinyl, symphonic, jazz, rock, or a style that defies classification, you want to experience your grooves to their fullest. Accurate reproduction requires proper contact between your stylus and groove. Unfortunately, every room has a continuous supply of contaminants competing for that contact space. Moisture, dust, and air pollution (to name a few) precipitate onto your grooves. These contaminants not only get in the way, they provide food and a haven for bacteria and fungi (molds and mildew) which will attach to and grow in your grooves (Figure 1). Must you tolerate clicks, pops and grungy finger print smears?
Let Vinyl-Zyme Gold free you!
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Moisture, dust, and air pollution (to name a few) precipitate onto your grooves. These contaminants not only get in the way, they provide food and a haven for bacteria and fungi (molds and mildew) which will attach to and grow in your grooves (Figure 1). Must you tolerate clicks, pops and grungy finger print smears? |
Figure 1. The contamination problem!
Low (A) and high (B) resolution scanning electron photomicrographs of a used vinyl record purchased from a retailer. Notice the bacteria and fungi attached to and growing in the grooves. Click...Pop...
"What Buggtussel did do was remove stains from a handful of discs where n-o-t-h-i-n-g I had used before...had been successful"
Curtis Leeds, Ultimate Audio, Winter 2000
Conventional record cleaning solutions are based on alcohol solvents and/or surfactants. These solutions may effectively dissolve most oily and fatty contaminants but, seldom will they. break and remove microbial attachment sites, even with aggressive scrubbing. These attachment structures are protein/carbohydrate complexes, excreted by the microbe to facilitate its anchorage to the substrate (groove) where it plans to live. Alcohol solvents and surfactants do not dissolve proteins or carbohydrate complexes. They can actually denature these microbial structures, enhancing adherence to your grooves (Figure 2). Thus, grit can be left behind that is harder than ever to remove. Worst yet, this grit can be burnished into those precious grooves during playback and it may serve as signals to initiate fresh microbial attachment and growth, which you do not want!
Figure 2. The incomplete solution.
Side B of the record seen in Figure 1 after one cleaning with a surfactant based, commercial record cleaning solution containing no isopropyl alcohol. The solution and special brush were used according to the manufactures directions. This product does not digest and break microbial attachment structures. Notice the incomplete removal of the contamination.
Could this be your record?
This biological contamination problem has been uniquely addressed by the qualified research staff at Buggtussel, LCC.
Vinyl-Zyme Gold is an aqueous solution of preformed, natural enzymes. Its enzymatic action mimics the biological digestion process to break microbial attachment. Vinyl-Zyme Gold leaves your grooves cleansed, non-attractive to dust and other forms of aerial contamination, and non-supportive of microbial growth (Figure 3). Fungi and bacteria won't attach to and grow on a surface this clean.
Figure 3. The real solution.
Side A of the same record seen in Figure 2 after one cleansing with Vinyl-Zyme Gold. The Vinyl-Zyme Gold cleaning (Side A) was performed first, then the surfactant cleaning of Side B was performed. Side A was sprayed with Extra strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold, allowed to sit for 30 seconds, then the solution was removed using a record vacuum system. Notice the complete removal of the bacteria and fungal contamination, down to the vinyl substrate.
Even though Vinyl-Zyme Gold will not reverse record damage (nothing does), it will prevent the collection of contamination on your stylus and deter the future build-up of problematic abrasive grit that will damage your grooves. Vinyl-Zyme Gold contains no alcohol, detergents, or other man-made chemicals, making it non-toxic and environmentally friendly. It is safe and effective on plastic and glass substrates that are not attacked by water. Vinyl-Zyme Gold is safe for everyday use on vinyl or shellac discs as well as on CDs/DVDs.
Formulations
Vinyl-Zyme Gold is available in three concentrations: Regular strength; Extra strength; and Concentrated. Regular strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold is for every day use, general disc cleansing, or if a record vacuum system is not available. Extra strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold has 4X the deep cleansing enzyme activity of Regular strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold, for more rapid deep cleansing. Both Regular and Extra strength are available in 2 oz. and 8 oz. spray bottles. Either of these working solutions can be prepared from Concentrated Vinyl-Zyme Gold, which is available in a 2 oz. dripper bottle.
To prepare Regular strength Vinyl- Zyme Gold, add 3 drops of Concentrate to 2 oz. of distilled water. The Extra strength is prepared by adding 12 drops of Concentrate to 2 oz. of distilled water. A 2 oz. bottle of Concentrated Vinyl-Zyme Gold will make from 1 gallon of Extra strength to 4 gallons of Regular strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold.
Instructions for Use.
With a record vacuuming machine:
Extra strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold is the solution of choice for your records initial cleansing. Spray the surface of the record with 6-10 squirts. The act of spraying saturates the Vinyl-Zyme Gold with air, activating the key aerobic steps. Distribute the solution around the entire surface of the record with a soft brush, such as an inexpensive 2" foam paint brush. The record's outer edge and track I usually are the sites of finger contact and thus, commonly are the most heavily contaminated. These areas of the record should be thoroughly wetted. The entire record's surface should be moist with Vinyl-Zyme Gold but need not be drowned. Allow the solution to digest the contamination for 30 sec, to 1 min. Apply your favoirte record cleaning solution. Allow the record to turn in contact with the vacuum's brush for 2-3 revolutions, then, vacuum for 3 full revolutions on the type machine with a vacuum wand system. On the Loricraft machine, or Keith Monk machine allow the vacuum arm to scan the whole record. This will remove the enzyme, the cleaning solution, and the contamination in one pass.
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A cheap 2" foam painting brush is ideal for spreading Buggtussel evenly over the record surface. |
With a record-cleaning brush:
Use Regular strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold when the cleaning solution is to be applied and removed with an absorbent brush. Apply 2 squirts or 2-3 drops along the leading edge of the brush..Use the moistened surface to apply Vinyl-Zyme Gold to the record surface. Moisten the. entire surface for 20 to 30 seconds. Then use the dry brush nap to absorb the solution off the record surface. If to much solution is applied, the brush may not be able to remove all of the solution. Likewise, the brush will unlikely be able to remove all of the enzyme if a solution more concentrated than Regular strength is used with the absorbent brush. If this happens, dried Vinyl-Zyme Gold may be redissolved by a second application of Regular strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold or distilled water. Cleansing by brush is about one forth as effective as using Extra strength Vinyl-Zyme Gold and vacuum removal. Vinyl-Zyme Gold was not tested specifically for its ability to remove the press-release agents deposited during disc manufacture. With the biological contamination removed, you may use your favorite alcohol/surfactant solution. Do not mix Vinyl-Zyme Gold products with alcohol and/or surfactant solutions in an attempt to save time. Each will work best when used separately. We have experienced no negative effects of these solution mixing in the vacuum's waste reservoir.
This record was bought at a "flea market." It was not saleable until someone who knew about Buggtussel bought it.
Listen to this millon selling hit from the early '50's after the record was cleaned with Buggtussel Extra Strength Vinyl-Zyme GOLD and SMART microgroove cleaning solution. This is the first cut on the record which is usually the dirtiest part of the record.
SMART Devices recommends the 8 oz. Extra Strength pump spray bottle as the most effecient and economical. It is 4 times the quantity of the 2 oz. bottle but less than twice the price. The real bargain is the concentrated formula. One 2 oz. bottle mixed with distilled water (available for $1.00 at a pharmacy or food store) makes one gallon of Extra Strength solution, or 4 gallons of regular strength Vinly-Zyme GOLD solution. This should last a very long time and will clean many hundreds of records.
The shelf life (storage) of the Buggtussel Vinyl-Zyme Gold solutions is greater than 10 years.
Here is a Review of the performance of Buggtussel Vinyl-Zyme GOLD.
Another Review from Ultimate Audio magazine.
Enjoy your really clean records!.
Buy Buggtussel NOW at our SMART Store.
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