A beginner's guide to keeping your records sounding great

We love vinyl for the warmness of tones that is hard to capture on a digital recording. Unfortunately, it is also common that we experience those annoying "pops" and "cracks" from time to time. We've all been there, and it can be extremely frustrating.

Follow these steps the next time your albums sound scratchy

1. Examine it for visible marks

Hold your vinyl record under a soft light and you may notice dirt, dust or areas that have smudges. These might be marks left by our fingerprints, or that the needle has picked up. The build up of static electricity attracts dust, which can stay on a record even when you're not playing it, creating surface noise.

2. Remove static with a brush

Play the record on a turntable with the side you want to clean facing up. While it's spinning, hold a carbon-fiber brush such as this one and gently press down so that the bristles can work their way into the grooves. This not only ensures that you remove harmful contaminants, but will prolong the life of your albums and the stylus on your turntable.

3. Apply a cleaning solution

For records that need extra attention, consider applying a record cleaning fluid, isopropyl alcohol or a small amount of dish soap mixed with warm water. Using a microfiber cloth, rub the record in a circular motion while making sure to avoid the label. After you've gone clockwise and counterclockwise, give it one more pass with distilled water to remove all residue.