1. Right Side Up!
Like most things in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to store records. And like most things in life, it only takes a little effort to actually store vinyl records the right way -- as long as you know what that is!
Vinyl records are not -- and we repeat NOT -- meant to be stored laying flat, stacked on top of each other. You see this picture right above this section? Don’t store your records like that! We’re serious. Just don’t. Instead, stand them vertically so they aren’t stacked.
2. Hot for Teacher … Not for Warped Records
Especially during these hot summer months, it’s important to treat your records like obnoxious in-laws: You always want to make sure they are comfortable. Especially when it comes to temperature.
For most cases, room temperature -- or lower -- is your best bet. You also want to make sure that your records aren’t near any sources of heat -- including windows where they may sit in the harsh sunlight all day long.
3. Don’t Short Those Sleeves
Your records come with sleeves and they should be kept in those sleeves. There’s a reason all of your records come with those white sleeves inside their jackets -- protection. Don’t throw the sleeves out, or get lazy and just throw your records back in the jacket without making sure it is in the sleeve. It’s a little thing, but it goes a long way toward keeping your records in good condition.
4. Proper Cleaning
Depending how often you take your records out, you may not often think about cleaning them. And when you do think of cleaning them, you may just grab the closest thing and just try to wipe them clean with your t-shirt.
Also not a good idea. T-shirts can damage vinyl. Only clean your records with a record cleaning brush.
5. Sturdy Is as Sturdy Does
Learn from the mistakes of others: You don’t want to store your records on a flimsy shelf. As your collection grows, it can get pretty heavy, and if the shelving unit isn’t built to handle that amount of weight, you could be in for some trouble with a capital T.
Make sure any shelving unit you use is sturdy and tough, and it can’t hurt if it is reinforced, as well. Better safe than sorry!
The more vinyl you get, the more important it is to make sure you are taking care of your collection! And if you want to make sure that your collection sounds as good as it looks, give us a call! We’d love to help you find the perfect sound set up to give you the best listening experience possible.