Cleaning the "White Album" cover

[ttman57]

Has anyone here ever tried to clean this Beatles album cover?

I scored an extremely nice original release of this Beatles album a few days ago, embossed letters, serial number, made by Capital Records back in the day. The records are in remarkable condition, as well as the poster and pictures.

Of course the cover is a bit dirty, but in amazing condition as well.

Anyone ever try to clean this cover, and if so, with any success? The most I have ever tried to do is clean the inside of a few covers with a lightly wet paper towel and white vinegar. That's been it.

I would love to get this cover looking as good as the records, which I cleaned and look even more stunning then before. If the album cover "white" could be restored somewhat, that would be amazing.

I look forward to your help, tips, and suggestions.

[jake]

Spray a little water on, wipe with clean rag or paper towel. Do it quick, don't let it sink in. Wouldn't use vinegar on cardboard. Think of it like window washing, don't streak. I wipe in long strokes, from seam to seam left to right, then turn the cover and repeat, so your strokes on second time are cleaning any streaks from first time. Then go around the edges one time.
Scrubbing hard is risky. Don't want to contribute to aging process.Store vinyl in seperate blank covers, keep the whole thing in one plastic protective sleeve.

[Alec124c41]

I would try a damp Magic Eraser.

Cheers,
Alec

[wordwizard]

White shoe polish?

[Tedrick]

I've found a little Windex window-cleaner sprayed on a clean paper towel (NEVER directly on the album cover!!) to be a very effective way of cleaning an album cover.

[megatrends]

Anything like this should be done with a damp (not wet) soft clotch. Whatever isn't removed is there for life.

[ttman57]

Hmmm, I tried a damp Magic Eraser on a Queen album cover and it messed it up worse than it was. Not sure if it was too damp or what, but I'm concerned about trying that here. Even plain water. I'm not denying that your suggestions won't work, just thinking about the last post stating that what is there may be there for good.

So, perhaps the best solution is to leave well enough alone and enjoy the records?

I am going to put the records in a new gatefold and archive the rest with a resealable flap sleeve, I think.

Thanks for your help, people.

[megatrends]

Hmmm, I tried a damp Magic Eraser on a Queen album cover and it messed it up worse than it was. Not sure if it was too damp or what, but I'm concerned about trying that here. Even plain water. I'm not denying that your suggestions won't work, just thinking about the last post stating that what is there may be there for good.

So, perhaps the best solution is to leave well enough alone and enjoy the records?

I am going to put the records in a new gatefold and archive the rest with a resealable flap sleeve, I think.

Thanks for your help, people.

The only way to get it white again would to be buy it brand new and never handle it .... ever.

[Chapter24]

Hi, you might be interested in an article (with video) I've posted today that demonstrates another technique to consider for cleaning/restoring your white LP covers.

http://recordreport.blogspot.com/2012/0 ... overs.html

ps this is not an automated spam post

[Jim Leach]

Heading to Staples to find a Prang eraser now...

[megatrends]

Hi, you might be interested in an article (with video) I've posted today that demonstrates another technique to consider for cleaning/restoring your white LP covers.

http://recordreport.blogspot.com/2012/0 ... overs.html

ps this is not an automated spam post

Interesting but I am not sold and think it is a mistake. I will explain why .... in my humble opinion of course.

The eraser REMOVES "something" to make it appear clean. It will leave scuffs and mar the cover unless it is a super glossy cover and even then .... well good luck. It is white and white things, not only record jackets, get dirty seemingly just by looking at them.

.... all this only to get dirty again anyway even if you think your clear poly sleeve is clean it isn't. If it is it won't stay that way just from room air being in it over time.

Just my opinion, if it were me I wouldn't bother as it does more harm to the jacket than good. it'll look clean probably but will have been damaged imo.


Please let us know what happens.

[Chapter24]

As I mentioned in the article, yes, some erasers are more liable to leave perceptible scuff marks, but on the other hand, some won't. The Papermate one I used first, quickly and easily removed a large amount of black marks, but did leave some light scuffing behind. As far as I could tell, the softer "kneadable rubber" eraser did not leave scuff marks on the three or four covers I tried it on.

I'm not sure, but I'm now thinking that the black 'soiling' on the Pink Floyd cover may actually have come from that album being pressed against and rubbing on the back of the dark colored Animals album for 25-30 years, as the backside of my Animals cover has what almost looks like a mirror image of the marring found on the Wish You Were Here cover, only it has the ink worn off and the white showing through. I'm thinking it could be ink residue that had bonded with the white cover and in a case like that you are not necessarily rubbing away the original surface of the cover with the eraser, but only the undesired layer of (ink?) residue (provided you use a non-abrasive eraser). Now that I keep both of those records in poly sleeves, I think the white cover might not get that buildup on it again.

Also, you are removing what is likely decades of buildup and I don't think the cleaned covers are going to get soiled looking like that again anytime real soon. Everything begins getting dirty again after it is cleaned, so should we never clean anything?

Even with the light scuffing from using the more abrasive eraser first, I am still way more happy with how that Pink Floyd record looks now. If you could put the 'before' and 'after' versions next to each other and were trying to sell them or just asking someone to pick one for free, I am confident the 'after' version would be selected every time. Maybe it's not a worthwhile thing to do with every slightly tarnished cover, but in many cases, I think the benefits will greatly outweigh any possible negatives - particularly if you deal with a lot of inexpensive yard sale/thrift store records that you just want to look nice again.

Thanks for checking out the article. I'm not trying to hard sell anyone on the idea or anything (despite my wordy reply here ), and I'm sure results will vary depending on the type of soiling/marks, the cover surface, and the eraser. Do whatever you are comfortable with. I am just sharing a technique/process that I do think is worthwhile.

[megatrends]

I'm one of those people who think a worn sleeve has character and do not wish to bother with it either way. Some sleeves I have "repaired" from splitting using clear tape or what have you. I'll reglue seams first but if that is so far gone I just use clear tape.

If I went through the trouble of making a white cover white again it would just get dirty again because it is white and isn't worth the effort to me. I'm organic that way, some guys use clear poly sleeves and leave their record in a sleeve outside the jacket in the clear poly sleeve so they do not have to handle the jacket in some grand fear of defacing it. Ooooh krikie!

They are probabkly the same lot who buy Star wars toys and never open them because "they'll be worth more someday if you leave them boxed". Well you can feel them and touch them or you can just look at the box it came in.


Each person is different I suppose.

[Chapter24]

I can relate to not wanting to bother cleaning or repairing some things. I've only washed my pick-up truck maybe four times since I bought it new 19 years ago, and that's usually just to get the road salt off after a particularly bad winter.

The eraser thing started for me when I wanted to try removing pen marks from the inner (often blank/white) side of the tray cards belonging to some otherwise excellent condition CDs I wanted to sell (the marks were visible through the round disc holder thing in the center of the tray). Then came the idea to try it on some record covers. I liked how it worked on the white covers and it seemed like a good tip/technique I hadn't seen mentioned anywhere before.

Anyway, the point was to show that it is possible to get some dirty white covers looking nice and white again. The psychology and habits of those who will or won't clean white LP covers is irrelevant. I just hope the tip does prove useful (and non-damaging ) for any interested parties.