A typical disk cleaner with fluid package, produced by Milty Products. The box proclaims this is the “safe way to eliminate static permanently” – one wonders exactly how much danger there is in eliminating static, apart from giving yourself a nice new frizzy perm? And not just eliminated, but permanently – most impressive, were it true. However, you’d think that simply placing an LP back into a plastic-lined sleeve is likely to restore at least some of the static. Ah well.
The back of the package shows how “tests prove Permostat really works”, as proven by a “precision built, hand held integrated field mill” showing “total and permanent neutralisation to zero voltage”. You can’t argue with that. The instructions are eloquent; “spray it on, buff well” – a phrase that could be applied to numerous products!
If you think it looks a bit old fashioned (Milty actually still make a more modern looking version called Permaclean), then think again as the manufacturers also still make the Pixall (‘Grand Prix Award Winners’ – of the worst product pun of all time?), a strange mini-garden roller affair which you roll across the surface of your record. When the sticky surface gets too clogged up, you peel off the top layer to reveal a fresh one underneath. Maybe that’s where the F1 drivers got the idea for their visor shields. Most commentators reckon the roller is only any good for large grot, and leaves the finer stuff still in the grooves. Should you have a strange urge to purchase one, try Needles & Spins on our links list. Thanks to Nick Robinson for the pack shots and starter text. Mind you I still use my old Super Exstatic Disc Cleaner from time to time, and Milty seem to have taken over production of that too. It certainly loosens the dust but also slows the turntable down in use if you press too hard, so I can’t imagine that does the deck any good.
ST33 
Had both of these. Won them from the Sunday Times in Perth WA as a 15 year old. I didnt know what to make of the roller thing. I thought it was messy. These days, rightly or wrongly, I soak the records in warm water (sometimes) with a bit of dish washing liquid in the sink. Especially (if I want) to record them. Then rinse. Play them wet. Seems to dampen down the surface noise.I haven’t had a label float off.
In the late seventies I used the original Permostat to treat all my records. Before treatment I first cleaned the records with Disco Antistat. There was really a lot of dirt coming from these records in this first clean stage. Some records of which I thought they were ruined did sound practically like new after this first cleaning.
The final treatment with Permostat made all records antistatic. Still today, after 32 years, the records behave totally antistatic, without any additional treatment. One of my records, Get Ready of the Rare Earth, which I still play now and then, is sounding fantastic like new.
I keep them permanently in a plastic-lined sleeves, so still today they near to perfectly clean and antistatic.
For those people who are interested to know, I am using Denon DL103/R cartridge, Jelco SA-750LB pickup arm, Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable and a Monk-Audio Phono Preampilfier.
ou peut on encore trouver du permostat en ce moment, merci de me répondre, salutations.
Bernard
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http://www.custom-cable.co.uk/milty-permostat-record-cleaner-kit-standard-refill.html
Siteweb anglais !
I too used Permostat on all my vinyl in the 70’s and 80’s. Today in 2017 they are still free of static. Sadly the product seems to have vanished. Perhaps with the renewed interest in vinyl might prompt what is for my a true tried and tested product.
got a kit but alas the fluid is empty. Is there a secret formula or access to fluid out there?
Refill! I guess you could probably have bought these at the time, but it’ll be down to trawelling auction sites now I fear Cal.
Treated all my vinyl with Permostat in the late 70’s, early eighties. Today they are still totally static free. Permostated ! Bet you wish you had some now.
I was advised to use this product by my Hi-fi and Record shop manager back in the mid to late 70s. I recently re-commissioned my turntable and I’m staggered by the excellent condition my albums are which are mostly over forty years old. Thanks to Martin (from Gilson Audio in Billingham) wherever you are now. Superb advice.
That’s nice to know. It is sad to see all the hi-fi shops disappearing. A real long termer went in Chesterfield last year I noticed, with the inevitable closing down sale. I still couldn’t afford anything!
I used this stuff in the 70’s. Yes, still static free but also unplayable now. All the records I treated have very heavy surface noise. I have tried every cleaning method, including cavitation. Nothing fixes this.
Jeez, that’s not a side effect I have heard about.
It does suggest the fluid must have affected the playing surface in some way or bound the dust to it.