No matter the system, carbon brushes are not the best at lifting off dust, but they do gather the dust well. I think of them as a broom to sweep the dust in a line and use a pass of a sticky roller to remove. Less brushing, less friction, less time for effective results. I made a video with written instructions in the description on this method if anyone cares to check it out. Also, use no downward force on the brush, just weight of brush. I agree that a little surface dust will always remain and isn't a big deal, but I remove more dust adding the roller.

Thank you for your informative videos, greetings from Athens.

Hi Mark, great video again. I agree with you that the carbon brushes are good but they always leave dust behind. I use my own carbon fibre brush which has an earth lead attached to the brush, then to get the dust fully off I use a battery powered Maxell AE-320 battery powered vac unit which removes all of the remaining dust after one rotation, it is also earthed through the spindle.

I have been selling and setting up turntables for over 30 years. I find way 2 to be the closest. Only pull towards you not sideways. Think of how you sweep. Use the full width to pull the dust off, not the very edge.

Static makes a huge difference here. If you use the DS Audio ION-001 for example, you’ll find almost zero dust

What you have to use is a spray bottle with dionised water and spray the brush and then the particles will jump to the brush always good to play your record damp

After I run the brush, I finish with a blast of "canned air" from about 1 foot away. The brush tends to dislodge the dust particles, and the air removes the loose particles.

Hi. Great video as always. I am always wary of these type of brushes as I have seen reports that they can actually scratch the vinyl surface. So I have never bought one. What is your experience of this, if any? Are there ones that do scratch the vinyl? I always use a velvet brush which works well. I bought it from John Menzies in the early 80's and it's called called 'Velvetone ' and it still cleans effectively with no scratches as it's incredibly soft. It cost me £2.50 at time. Bargain!

So after just reintroducing myself to collecting vinyl, I brought one of these carbon fiber brushes. After using it for the first time very softly I too was getting the dust line. But most of all was thinking I really don't like the idea of running these bristles over and over again every time I place the record in the turntable. Then comes the Google search with all the options etc. One of them was microfibre cloth which I could still feel the friction between the record and the cloth. Then came my painting and decorating thinking cap and thought what are the main tools they are trying to use to reduce this issue. A brush and a microfibre cloth. I have both of these in my work van. First was a new very soft bristle paint brush with the bristles at the same soft pressure as the carbon fiber brush. Pretty much has the same result and problems as the carbon fiber record brush. Next was microfibre but not in a cloth form but in the way of a 10mm nap 4-inch mini paint roller. Turning the turntable on and holding the paint mini roller with my fingers on each end of the roller I placed the microfibre roller nap with just enough weight that the edge of the roller nap was just touching the record on a 30-degree angle across the record and after 3 to 4 rotations of the record and keeping the roller sleeve flat on the record slid the roller sleeve towards the outer edge and off the edge of the record to remove it off the record retaining the 30-degree angle at all times. The 4-inch width of the roller sleeve is the perfect size to cover all the tracks on the record with it placed at a 30-degree angle. I was shocked and amazed at how quick and how dust and lint-free the top of the record was after checking with an led light and how soft the friction was between the roller and the vinyl if any. The microfibre is 10mm thick and just buffing the top of the record but is still picking up all the dust into the nap of the sleeve and sticking to it unlike a brush pushing some of that dust and lint into the groves of the tracks and most of the dust remaining at the tip of the brush. It is hard to find the microfibre cloth that is 10mm thick so that's where the thickness of the roller sleeve is a winner its very very soft. After cleaning the record you can just use your finger to rub over the fiber on the roller sleeve to clean the dust off it to clean and reuse it many times when setting up a record but to make it very lint-free starting at one end of the roller with some masking tape and wrapping along the whole sleeve with the adhesive side of the tape touching the microfibre firm enough to push the microfiber to the base of the roller. Then remove the tape and the adhesive on the tape will remove all the lint and dust out of the nap on the roller and the nap on the roller will spring back to normal. Very important to make sure the roller sleeve is microfibre only and it is a minimum of 10mm nap thick. I don't really bother to add comments to things but seeing as this works so well I had to share. Here is a link to the rollers I am referring to but any hardware store sells them dirt cheap and one should last you many years etc. www.amazon.com.au/Mister-Rui-Paint-Roller-Microfiber-Covers/dp/B09GKDRMS5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=10mm%2Bmicrofiber%2Broller&qid=1700985033&sr=8-1&th=1

I’m a #3 guy but not because of anti static, I found when I brought it to the edge it went to the other side of the record.

I don't use any brush and i don't even have one cause i don't need it. I play records with the lid down and sometimes i wet clean them, i have records cleaned couple years ago that are still spotless with no dust this way! 😉

Man you are driving me crazy put the brush on about a 40-degree angle spin the record-keeping that angle drag the brush towards you until the price until it's completely off the record!!!!!!!! I've been doing it that way for years with a dishwasher and I've never had a speck of dust on my records✌️

Thanks for these Mark. Will you be reviewing the HumminGuru S-DUO and the new Pro-Ject VC-E2 in the near future ?

I see that you are using what originally had been named the DiscWasher record cleaning brush with your ProJect RCM instead of the brush provided with it. If you read the instructions on using that DiscWasher cleaning brush, they tell you to rock the brush and then to remove it by gradually dragging it off across the record. Using this type of brush on a record can create static electricity. It is best to use the goat-hair brush provided with the RCM or similar non-carbon fibre brush(which are only meant to be used when dry-cleaning a record) and then let the vacuum do it's drying job on the record. The goat-hair brush is used to scrub and clean the record, the vacuum is used to pick up the contaminants loosened by the brush and to dry the record. When the cleaned record is left in the open air, dust will fall on it. If the record has a static electrical charge, it will attract dust out of the air like a magnet. If a wet-cleaned record is left to dry in the open air, instead of being vacuum-dried, the moisture will draw dust from the air. If you want to see if your turntable spindle IS grounded, use a continuity meter between it and the ground part of your electrical receptacle. At the same time, touch one lead from the continuity meter to other metal parts of your turntable assy. to find out if anything is grounded. On the Audioquest type of carbon fibre brush, the gold metal part is supposed to be connected to the carbon fibres and if it is working correctly, should dissipate the static electrical charge if you are touching a grounded source with you other hand. But, understand, the human body isn't the best thing to conduct electricity and actually adds resistance to the electrical path. Unless when you use a wet-cleaning RCM as it was designed to be used, even vacuuming excessively, you will leave the record with a static electrical charge. And, again, a static electrical charge draws dust out of the air. I like to use "canned air" to blow dirt off of the record after I have used the ZeroStat gun on the record.

When I use a carbon fiber brush I move it towards the center and the spindle. Going with the grain so to speak. The brush it self is not a perfect cleaning method, it's merely a tool to help maintain your collection.

I've found that a computer duster can of compressed air works wonders on that pesky line of dust left behind:)

Off topic: How does the 2m Blue stand after all this time you're using it? Do you have any itching upgrading it or not?

Thank you for your advice. The main problem I have are white dots appearing on new vinyl that when the stylus runs over them it sounds like a scratch, they tend to move themselves after this has happened?

a quick sweep is all you need. play and enjoy. it shouldn't be a chore.

I got one of these and it was dropping fibers. I picked out the loose ones, it seems to have stopped but I have to keep an eye on it. I'm not that impressed, thinking of going back to a rag.

Thank you for this update , I must be in the worst case scenario of record playing humans , as I work in a woodwork Dusty environment and I have two cats , I would love a separate room for listening to my records but I haven't won the lottery , But I do have a Pro-Ject VC-E , which I will chose 6 record and give a wet clean before sitting down for a good listen. I also use the carbon fibre brush and I have a Flux HiFi Sonic Electronic Stylus Cleaner, Have you looked into this field ?

Can I ask what your opinion is on storing the vinyl disc behind the album jacket within a inner sleeve?

Has anyone considered using canned air to remove the last dredges of dust after wiping with the brush?

Love the channel...Do you think using a brush while the LP is on the turntable is good for the turntable? I have both a direct drive and a belt drive table. Direct drive can absorb the friction, but belt drive seems to suffer from too much drag on the motor. Maybe we need to rethink this process...light brush only on tables, and anything wet on a cleaning machine; i.e. with a Groove Washer brush, should be done while on a cleaning machine. What are your thoughts? Thanks for your insight.

People get too obsessed with this stuff. PVC isn't that fragile so just do whatever gets dust off. Also it is a record so it will build up static anytime you play it so you will always have a few pops.

I used a brush thats carbon fiber and like you said in the other method I would get it to get all the dust then move it to the side but i found out over time it has scratched the hell out of my vinyls like small little scratches it doesint effect the vinyls at all but im still trying to be safe so will this be a problem over time? Like will these little scratches become a problem overtime I will never use this brush again.

What's the best way to use a carbon record brush on a 7 inch record? I have some 7 inch records and I'm using a cork & rubber record mat on my turntable and when I want to use my carbon fiber brush, it doesn't go well I supposed, so do you got any tips to use a carbon brush on a 7 inch record on a platter mat such as cork & rubber?

I had that Audioquest brush but it shed hairs like a malting cat

That brush does no better job Then any of the many songs similar look alike