How to store vinyl (so it lasts)

The four rules that matter

1. Store them vertical, never stacked. Flat stacks put uneven weight on the discs and warp them. Upright, like books, with light support so they don’t lean.
2. Don’t pack them too tight or too loose. Tight enough not to lean, loose enough to pull one out without dragging its neighbours.
3. Keep them cool and out of sunlight. Heat warps vinyl and fades sleeves. Avoid near-radiator, near-window, and car boots. Room temperature and shade is all you need.
4. Use inner sleeves. Swap paper inners for anti-static poly-lined ones — they stop the micro-scratches that become surface crackle.

Worth doing, cheaply

• Outer sleeves (clear poly) stop “ring wear” — the ghost of the record printing through the jacket.
• A carbon-fibre brush before each play lifts dust that would otherwise get ground into the groove.
• Handle by the edges and label. Fingerprints on the playing surface attract dust and grime.

Not worth the money (for most people)

Exotic isolation racks, boutique “audiophile” inner sleeves at a dollar each, humidity cabinets. A dry, shaded shelf and decent poly sleeves get you 95% of the benefit for a few cents a record.