A first-class first choice. (Straits Of The Art).(Brief Article)

Those who are familiar with the wet/vacuum record-cleaning method (such as with the Nitty Gritty or VPI record cleaning machines) will surely remember the Nitty Gritty cleaning product called First[R]. This highly volatile fluid evaporated very shortly after applying it to the record's surface, and was to be followed by a normal "wash" with one's all-purpose cleaning solution of choice. This quickly evaporating fluid took with it dirt, and most importantly, the mold-release compounds left on a new record after pressing. It worked great on used records, too, removing much more dirt than just a regular cleaning. Many of the ticks and pops that folks complain about even on new records were usually eliminated, and it was often able to turn yard-sale rubbish into a listenable disc. But, alas, it is no longer sold.

Why is First[R] no longer on the market? Because it was a pure Chloro-flouro-carbon (CFC), that's why--and we know how much record lovers are responsible for deleting the Earth's ozone player! Actually, CFCs aren't banned, per se, but their manufacture and state-to-state transport (at least in the US) are heavily regulated and taxed. And forget about getting it through customs if you want to import it. To buy this formula, it is indeed possible--if you are willing to pay the price, not to mention purchase it in a wholesale quantity. When I last checked, a 50-gallon drum was the minimum amount available from most chemical companies. That's why I chuckle when they proudly display on the label of an aerosol can "Does not contain harmful CFC's". Of course there are no CFCs in it--who would be willing to pay $35 for a can of Lysol[R]?

Last year I began my search for an inexpensive way of procuring the stuff. "I'm not going to use it in great quantities, nor dispose of it improperly, and I'm just a lowly record fanatic," I explained to each chemical manufacturer I spoke to. No dice. Which led me to numerous conversations with the good folks at Dupont Chemical (Was it their slogan that was "Better Living Through Chemistry", or was it Dow Chemical? No matter ...) After many phone calls and discussions about the particular type of chemical I required, they led me to the Micro Care Corporation, a distributor of their Vertrel C[R] formula.

What directed me to this was finding out what the commercial use for the chemical in First[R] was for in the first place. It turns out the CFC, which went by the trade name Freon TF[R], was mainly used for cleaning the circuit boards and contacts in electronic assemblies. It turns out that the chemical that is the main ingredient in the chemical they now use instead of the banned CFC is Vertrel C. The company insists that it is safe for all plastics, even the type used for record albums--in fact, it seems that many of the polymers used in electronic arts are far more delicate than what record LPs are made of. Bingo.

But there were different types of cleaners that contained Vertrel C, many with other ingredients added, such as alcohol and surfactants that I definitely didn't want. Micro Care Corporation pointed me to a local distributor that ...