Help your music collection last.

Straightforward guides for cleaning, storing, handling, and playing physical media at home.

Turntable playing a vinyl recordFeatured guideVinyl · StorageHow to store vinyl records upright without leaning or crowdingRead the guide

Latest care guides

Start with the problem in front of you.

Not sure which format section to browse? Choose the symptom or care task that best matches what you see.

Inspect. Handle. Play. Return.

Most collections do not need aggressive treatments or a museum room. Clean hands, stable storage, suitable enclosures, and a well-maintained player prevent many avoidable problems.

Learn the basics

A better place for every format.

Small improvements to the room, shelf, and player are often more useful than frequent deep cleaning.

Keep light indirect

Move media away from windows and direct afternoon sun.

Support the collection

Use stable shelves and cases that do not squeeze or bend.

Handle cleanly

Touch edges and labels rather than playback surfaces.

Check the player

A dirty stylus or faulty deck can damage clean media.

Some problems need more than routine care.

Stop playback when a disc is cracked, tape is escaping its shell, mold is suspected, or a machine is pulling and scraping. Continuing can turn a manageable problem into permanent damage.

Find the relevant guide →
Visible moldIsolate the item and avoid dry brushing indoors.
Cracks or broken partsDo not test-play damaged media or force a mechanism.
Grinding or tape dragStop the player before troubleshooting the medium.
Reference-led, written for home collections.

Soundkeep draws on preservation guidance and manufacturer documentation, and separates routine care from work that needs a conservator or repair technician.

How we approach our guides →