Deep Cleaning Records With Steam?

Crem1,

I whole-heartedly agree with you about the rinse. IMO and IME pure rinse water is where money is best spent. It does not take much water to properly rinse. No flooding is needed. A teaspoon at most. Any more is a waste in my experience. Being judicious with the fluids also helps the vacuum process.

I'm getting very good results steaming with distilled water. It is cheap, fairly pure, and easily found. The Peak battery water is not so easily found and I don't want to spend the kind of money it would take to ship pure water in any quantity. I have also found that 1/2 a teaspoon of white vinegar mixed with the water used in the Perfection keeps the inside clean and the left over water is clearer looking when poured out. I do this every other time I steam.

Dan_ed : I think you bring a lot to the discussion. The only concern is in regards to putting anything other than H2O in the heating tank. I am not challenging your assertions; it just that All pressured heating tanks can explode something I want to avoid at all costs. I believe Maple uses a "dry" vinegar to mix in the tank of the SF-227. Do as you feel is safe : Please review your directions to avoid problems. All the best.

All there is no doubt about it rinsing with high grade water is a very important part of vinyl cleaning. And doing that a few times completes the job for better playback and sound.
Sunnyboy I'm glad steaming is working out better for you now.
In the end its the sound that matters and nothing else. Steamed cleaned LPs will bring that goal of better sound to those who give it a try. IMHO

Last night I used double distilled water, cost about Rs.200 a gallon or USD 5 or so. Along with a final rinse this has made a huge difference. Am beginning to enjoy vinyl I had acquired 25/30 years ago. Must confess that previous attempts to clean the same lps with a VPI 16.5 and the AVI one step were not successful.At last its payback time for the vast sums spent on my vinyl rig.
Tiger, Creml, Stltrains and all the others on this thread : Gentlemen thank you for taking my vinyl experience to a new level.

Sunnyboy1956 : The very best in analog to you. Thanks for joining the revolution , tell your friends: With Steam (And A Good Rinse) Vinyl Rules !