Crackle, pops and hiss from a record player: dirty records, static or a dirty stylus?
Hear crackle on your vinyl? It’s likely dust, static, or a worn stylus—not a broken record. Here’s how to fix it without damaging your collection.
Record Care
Browse every record-care guide — from how to clean vinyl records at home and whether a cleaning machine is worth the money, to why a brand-new record skips, when to replace a needle, and how to store your collection so it stays flat.
Record player humming or buzzing: ground wire, cables or interference?
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase.
Record player skips when you walk past: floors, feet and what to do about it
150–160 chars, opens with specific problem/mistake/curiosity gap, no template language, no verbatim keyword at start. Patterns: 1. Problem → Outcome; 3. Direct address → Warning; 6. Myth busting.
A record skipping in the same spot: scratch, warp or dirt in the groove?
Is your favourite album stuck on one track? Here's how to diagnose whether it's dirt, a scratch, or a worn stylus—and the right fix for your situation.
Record player skipping on every record: tonearm, tracking force or a worn needle?
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase.
Why do brand new records skip? The causes, in the order to check them
Brand-new records skipping is usually a setup issue, not a bad pressing. Follow this UK troubleshooting checklist to fix skips, hums, and crackles fast.
Mould on vinyl records and sleeves: what you can rescue and what to bin
Found white mould on your vinyl? Don't panic. Here's how to tell what's salvageable and what to bin, plus the storage steps that stop mould from coming back.
Cleaning charity-shop and second-hand records before their first play
Unknown hands, unknown storage, and unknown prior cleaning attempts each leave a residue a dry brush cannot reach. Here's how to properly clean second-hand records before their first play.
Do new records need cleaning before you play them?
Static is inevitable on new records. Dry brushing won't remove it. Here's why a wet clean is the only way to stop crackle and protect your vinyl.
Carbon-fibre brush, spray or wet clean: which method your records actually need
Three cleaning methods form an escalation ladder: dry, damp, and wet. Find the lowest rung that solves your record's specific contamination problem without overspending.