Vinyl records and turntables never left the earth. Instead, it outlived younger technologies and music equipment. A reason for its timelessness is its superior sound quality. Moreover, only the old record player holds the overall classic feel every nostalgic person wants to experience time and again.

Whether you own a vintage or a contemporary turntable, you might have realized its output difference compared to digital music players. Thus, you’ll prefer listening to this piece whenever you have the luxury to do so.

But time may come, and your stylus will deteriorate. You will hear static, hisses, and distortion that ruins the listening mood. 

Fret not as there are ways to care for your stylus, so you won’t need to spend more money than you should in buying replacements.

Extend The Life Of Your Stylus By Regularly Cleaning It

The diamond tip is a sensitive part of the cartridge. Dust may get stuck on it if not regularly cleaned. Thus, neglect of your stylus would force it to retire earlier than the expected shelf life.

There is a proper way of cleaning the needle tip. Using random chemical cleaners could remove the dirt, but they might also soften the glue that keeps the diamond in place. This scenario would result in a damaged cartridge beyond repair.

Ask the manufacturer if they have a liquid cleaning solution exclusively made for the stylus. This method is the safest way of cleaning it.

There’s a DIY hack shared across forums by vinyl listeners themselves. It involves using the white part of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Gently lower the tip to the surface many times, and that should do the trick.

The Onzow Zerodust Stylus Cleaner is another item we recommend. Satisfied users describe it as material that is “softer than a baby’s skin” and that a few faint touches to the tip would solve the pointy dirt problem.

Take Care Of Your Vinyl Albums As Well

The diamond tip generally gets the dirt from the vinyl disc as they meet. Due to this, you must clean the record with a lint-free cloth after you took it out of the sleeve.

It shouldn’t hurt to use rubbing alcohol on your vinyl for as long as you apply it through a microfiber cloth and wipe it gently. Do not attempt to play a broken or damaged disc as it might also ruin the delicate diamond tip.

Consider including your record player and its cabinet in this cleaning habit.

Check Its Shape And Form

Do regular checkups, and you can do this while cleaning. If there are changes with the tip’s shape or size, it may be a sign of misuse. 

For previously round tips that became pointed, it is crucial to replace them immediately. Prevent this deformation through gentle cleaning and making sure that the cantilever remains fixed. 

Wrapping Up

In the worst event that your stylus would need replacement, know that not all cartridges would allow other styli. Many brands would require replacing the whole cartridge, which can be costly. Some items like the Stanton cartridge are flexible and would accept a needle tip than what was previously there.

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