How to Clean the Needle on a Record Player

The complete guide to cleaning and maintaining your turntable stylus

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Proper Cleaning

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Regular Maintenance

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Tips

If you love the sound of a record player, you're not alone! It's great to put a record on and get that deep, full sound. However, if your needle or stylus isn't clean, it can affect the quality of that sound. The simplest way to clean your needle is to use a brush or a melamine sponge, which only takes a few seconds. You can also use liquid cleaners if your needle is especially dirty. Whichever you choose, make sure to mute your sound or turn off the amps before cleaning the needle, as you'll have unpleasant sounds coming from your speakers if you don't.

Things You Should Know

Move a soft stylus cleaning brush from front to back in one direction 2 or 3 times to free up dust.
To remove debris, gently press a small melamine eraser into the needle tip.
If the needle is extra grimy, use liquid stylus cleaner or rubbing alcohol.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Proper Cleaning

1
Use a stylus cleaning brush or a soft paintbrush for a simple solution. Move it from front to back in one direction, going the same way the record goes. Do it gently, as you don't want to harm or bend the needle.^{[1]
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- You only need to run the brush across the tip 2-3 times to get it clean.^{[2]
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- You can find a stylus cleaning brush at any store that sells record players. Otherwise, you can look online to buy one. These are built to the right size for cleaning needle heads.^{[3]
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  Research source} If you can't find a stylus brush, try a small, soft paintbrush instead.^{[4]
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2
Press a piece of melamine eraser gently into the needle tip to pull debris out. You only need a tiny bit of the eraser for your needle, so slice off a section that's about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) long and 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) thick. You can cut the eraser with scissors or a craft knife.^{[5]
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Research source} Hold the arm with one hand to keep it in place, and then lightly push the eraser into the stylus tip and then pull it away. That should pull off any debris on the needle tip.^{[6]
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- You can find melamine erasers in the cleaning aisle of most stores. One brand name is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
- If the eraser is wet or has a cleaning solution on one side, cut your piece out of the other side.
- If your stylus is especially fragile, put the eraser on the top of the turntable just under the needle. Slowly lower the needle onto the eraser and then lift it up again.^{[7]
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- Repeat the process as needed until it's clean.
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3
Dip the needle into a stylus cleaning gel for a quick deep clean. These cleaners are made of a plasticized gel that grabs dust from the needle. Place the gel holder underneath the needle tip. Gently push the tip of the stylus into the gel. Repeat this motion several times until the needle tip is clean.^{[8]
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- You can find these types of cleaners online or at stores that sell record players.
4
Use a liquid stylus cleaner for an extra grimy needle. Some stylus cleaners come in a container that looks like a nail polish bottle. To use these, pull the applicator out of the bottle and wipe off the excess cleaner on the inside of the bottle. Run the applicator across the tip of the needle, moving from front to back and back to front.^{[9]
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- Repeat this step until you see the tip is clean.
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Try using rubbing alcohol for an easy deep clean. You'll need a brush to apply it. Simply dip the brush in the rubbing alcohol and then run it across the stylus from front to back 2-3 times. Make sure to be gentle so you don't bend the needle.^{[10]
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- You can do the same thing with a paintbrush.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Regular Maintenance

1
Clean the stylus with the brush every time you change records. It only takes a few seconds to clean the stylus with a stylus brush or melamine sponge. Keeping it clean will give you better sound and help keep your records scratch-free.^{[11]
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2
Do a deep-cleaning if the needle gets grimy. You don't need to use a cleaner every time you play a record. However, if you notice that your needle has picked up a lot of dirt, you may want to use one of the cleaning solutions instead of just a brush or sponge.^{[12]
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- Try deep-cleaning the needle once a week if you use your record player regularly.
3
Clean off your records as they get dirty to protect your stylus. Your needle can pick up dirt from your records, so keep them clean as well. For a quick clean, set a carbon fiber record brush across the grooves of the record while it's on the player. Let the record go around once or twice to pick up all the dirt, making sure you're holding the brush so it follows the grooves. Sweep the dirt off.^{[13]
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- For a deep cleaning, add a couple of drops of record cleaner evenly across the brush. Set the record on a non-scratching cover and then run the brush around the grooves. Let it dry before using.
4
Replace your stylus regularly. How often you'll need to change it depends on the durability of the needle and how clean you've kept it. However, if you start noticing a sound difference that cleaning doesn't improve, it's time to change out your needle for a new one.^{[14]
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- No matter how clean you keep your needle, you'll still need to change it out from time to time.