"Glue Cleaning" Your LP's

Sidssp -- As far as a sticky pad goes, I use a Nagoaka roller that employs the same principle as what you posted, but it doesn't do nearly the same kind of job that glue does. The glue actually creates a bond with the particles within the grooves, and easily pulls away from the smooth vinyl. It's really kind of amazing.

A process of this type was patented in 1980 by Muller; Maximilian E.

US Patent 4,199,375

He uses polyvinyl alcohol. (which is "Used with polyvinyl acetate to make Elmer's glue" From Wikipedia.)

Has anyone tried this glue process with the older style 45 RPM records (the harder styrene kind?) I have stacks of rather dirty but potentially very valuable r'and b' 45's . . .

Without having tried this myself yet (but I will), it should be totally safe for a couple of reasons:

1. Elmer's style white glue is water-based and water-soluble. If some of the glue sticks and is left behind, you don't have to chisel it out; you can dissolve it. DON'T use the yellow carpenter's glue, which is made to withstand water.

2. It is not easy to glue vinyl to other things. It generally requires a specially formulated vinyl cement (as for the patch kits for vinyl inflatables), and white glue certainly ain't that!

Probably 95% of my LP collection was purchased used, much of it from thrift stores and some from eBay. Mostly I've been pretty lucky, but there are some that definitely need some sort of deep cleaning. If this is effective enough, it may compel me to pick up some thrift shop LPs I've passed on because they were visibly dirty.

I can just see myself getting a big-ass roll of wax paper and a gallon jug of Elmer's.

If you huff the glue, while it is drying, "Dark Side Of The Moon" will sync up perfectly with "The Wizard Of Oz".