Re: [ARSCLIST] 78 RECORDS MILDEW AND MOLD

["Steven C. Barr" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Helen Dearing" <HELDEAR@xxxxxxx>
> I HAVE INHERITED APPROXIMATELY 2,000 78 RECORDS. THE SLEEVES, AND BOXES
> THAT THEY WERE STORED IN, ARE COVERED BY MILDEW AND MOLD.
>  I AM CLEANING THE RECORDS,(ONLY ABOUT 100, SO FAR), WITH A TABLESPOON OF
> BLEACH TO A GALLON OF WATER. AFTER READING IN THIS SITE, I MAY BE DOING
> PERMANANT DAMAGE TO MY RECORDS.
>
> THEY LOOK JUST FINE, AS I RINSED EACH ONE AND CAREFULLY DRYED EACH ONE IN
A
> CICULAR MOTION WITH A SOFT TERRY CLOTH TOWEL.
>
> SOME THE BEAUTIFUL CARDBOARD CONTAINERS DISCENEGRATED BY JUST A TOUCH. NOW
> I AM ACCUMULATING ALL OF THESE RECORDS, WITH NO PROTECTION AND NO STIFNESS
> TO KEEP THEM IN THEIR PROPER SHAPE.
>
> SOME OF MY QUESTIONS ARE:
>
> WILL THE BLEACH SOLUTION CAUSE HARM OVER TIME?
> WHERE CAN I PURCHASE DUST SLEEVES? OR IS THERE SOMETHING BETTER?
> HOW ARE OTHER COLLECTORS STORING THEM?
> WILL BAGGIES DO HARM TO THE RECORDS?
> HOW DO I STORE THEM ON EDGE WITHOUT THEIR CARDBOARD SLEEVES?
> IF SOME OF THE CARDBOARD BOXES AND SLEEVES ARE A BIT INTACT, IS THERE ANY
> REASON TO KEEP THEM, AFTER I WASH AWAY THE MOLD?
>
> THANK YOU FOR READING MY MESSAGE. ANY ONE THAT HAS AN IDEA, PLEASE SHARE
IT
> WITH ME. RESPECTIVELY HELEN
I'm assuming these are shellac 78's...or are you speaking of cylinders?

If they are shellac 78's, they won't be damaged by a fairly weak bleach
solution...the only thing NOT to use on shellac records is alcohol of
any type (which dissolves them!). It is possible to have mould damage
to shellac 78's, but only under the worst conditions (contant warm and
humid surroundings). Note also that if the rocords are stord in paper
or cardboard sleeves, and these are tightly packed, they can be eaten
by several species of boring (ones that bore holes, not ones that ARE
boring!) insects.

If they are cylinders, it depends on whether they are wax or celluloid.
Wax cylinders will readily support the growth of mould and various fungi,
which actually eat the wax that makes up the cylinder. This effectively
means that they are irrecoverable if they have significant mould damage.

There are several companies that make sleeves for 10" and 10" records,
which can be used for 78's. However, the records can be stored on edge
without sleeves, by either filling (or nearly so) the boxes/shelf
sections. As long as they don't rub against one another, there will
be no damage. In fact, the best way to store 78's is on edge...I use
plastic "milk boxes" which hold about 100 sleeved or 130 non-sleeved
records.

When storing shellac 78's, make sure they are not stored under very
warm conditions...the records will actually become flexible and bend,
which is often called "warping." unlike vinyl records, which actually
expand and can't be unwarped, shellac records can be flattened by
warming them to flexibility and "unbending" them.

Steven C. Barr