So I read online that a good way to clean records is by using wood glue. You coat the record in it, and then when it dries you simply peel it off. In theory, the glue gets right into the grooves, and when you peel it off, it takes any dirt with it. Made sense to me, so I gave it a try.
In a momentary lapse of reason, I decided to use it on a record I had that was dirty but enjoyable, namely Black Sabbath Volume 4. In retrospect, I should have tested it on a Barry Manilow record or some other shitshingle, but alas, live and learn. I applied the glue, let it dry, and came back some time later. I discovered that I had a great deal of trouble trying to peel off the layer, for whatever reason. Perhaps there is a difference between wood glue and "carpenter's glue," which is what I used, or perhaps I didn't put a thick enough layer on (which I later read about). Whatever the case, it was difficult to remove, so I decided to wash it off with water.
BIG. MISTAKE.
The water removed most of the surface glue, but the stuff that was deep in the grooves was deeply entrenched and wouldn't go anywhere. I let it sit for a while, but no dice, and since I didn't want the label to be destroyed I took it out and shelved it for a while.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks later, when I was thinking about how to clean it up, and realized that if I put something on the label, some sort of clear glue, it might protect it. It won't look the best, but a dirty label is better than no label at all. I looked around for what to use, and found a bottle of rubber cement and some silicone aquarium sealant. Since I know the rubber cement dries clear and the silicone translucent, I went with the cement. I applied it to the label, and could still read it, which was a good sign. I then proceeded to soak the record in dish soap and warm water (not hot, that could warp the record). When I came back a while later, I found that it helped, but there was still some glue residue on the record. I then discovered that vinegar is good at breaking the seal of wood glue, and gave it a shot, soaking the record in vinegar, then scrubbing the hell out of it. Then I went to bed, leaving the record to dry.
I then came back to the record the next morning, and the vinegar seemed to do the trick. Most, though not all, of the glue disappeared. I'm not sure if what's left will ever go away, but I'm out of vinegar now so I decided to give it a rest. Much to my surprise though, the rubber cement peeled away from the label leaving no trace that it had ever been there.
The moral of the story is simply that if you want to try a new technique, always try it on something that doesn't matter if you can. Also, rubber cement works great in protecting record labels (that would be the label on the record, not the label distributing the record), but make sure the label is covered completely, and overlap it onto the vinyl itself and inside the hole in the middle to make sure no water gets underneath it.
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