12-09-07: Hififile
1) How far do I hold the steamer nozzle from the record?
About 6 inches. I lay an LP on the kitchen counter (on top of a microfiber towel) and use the bent nozzle so I can hold the steamer nearly horizontal. Easier on my wrist.
2) What kind of motion do I use? Circular following the grooves or maybe from top to bottom?
Not sure that it matters, but I generally use a circular motion following the groove. I figure if the steam is moving in the same direction as the groove, it's more likely to blast it out of the deeper part of the groove. I also know that this is just speculation on my part.
3) Is there a particular brand or type of dish rack to get to prevent scratching the record?
I use the garden variety dish rack we already had. It is rubber-coated wire.
4) I'm confused, do you physically towel dry the records, or air dry them in the dish rack??
Personally I use a terry-cloth style microfiber towel (it claims 90,000 fiber naps sticking up per square inch). This helps wipe the gunk and water out of the groove. I then rack the LP after towel-drying it to let any residual moisture evaporate. Also, if you have gotten the label wet, you'll want to rack it until it's dry. You don't want to put a wet record back into its liner sleeve.
To avoid getting the label too wet, I lay an oriental rice bowl over the label. It covers it perfectly without covering any of the groove.