More information about Last RCM fluid

LAST Record Cleaning Machine Fluid (RCM) contains 20% of Laboratory Grade Isopropanol.  But it also contains sequestering agents that prevent the alcohol from any adverse reaction with the record vinyl.  The role of the alcohol is to dissolve contaminants and  pressing residues and get them into solution and subsequently vacuumed away by the machine. RCM Fluid is supplied at working strength, ready to be applied and used in a vacuum record cleaning machine.

Generally speaking, the usual process would be to use the cleaning machine first, then followed by applying LAST Record Preservative.  However, a unique property of the Record Preservative can make the reverse process helpful and useful for removing tenacious contamination from the record.  The Preservative has a very strong affinity for vinyl.  If the record surface is contaminated with especially difficult to remove material, use of the Preservative first means that the Treatment works its way down to the vinyl and makes the record surface so “slickery” that the dirt/contamination cannot hold onto the surface and will be more easily loosened and removed by the RCM Fluid and vacuum.  In such a case, the Preservation Treatment will not be affected by the cleaning operation and will not need to be re-applied.

The Preservative is transferred to an applicator (supplied with each kit) by a small dropper pipette.  The applicator is then swept around the the surface of the record a couple of times.  No downward force or pressure is required.  The application can be accomplished on the user’s turntable, or any clean flat surface.  I apply the preservative while on the turntable, turning the platter by hand (not using the table’s drive motor).  If I have used a vacuum record cleaning machine, I apply the preservative while the record is on the machine platter at the completion of a vacuum cleaning step.

Thank you for your questions and interest, I hope the foregoing is helpful,

Walter Davies