What's the best way to clean library 78s?

[WSBG Returns Yet Again!]

I've been using distilled water, a spray bottle and a brush or microfiber cloth clean my 78s. They seem to get the job done. But I'm kinda wondering, what do you think is another great way to clean them?

[nidostar]

78s are old (I have some pre-WW1) and inevitably get a lot of dust and muck in the grooves. I think your way of cleaning them is fine. I wash the playing surface (not the label) with water containing a very small amount of washing-up liquid with a gentle brush then rinse them thoroughly. I leave them to dry in an upright position. My experience is that 78s being much hardier than vinyl more easily resist what would be considered harsh treatment for vinyl records. I use a Pro-Ject cleaning machine for those!

[Retronic]

I used to use brushes but sometimes I think I was adding water to dust, creating a sludge that I was pushing deeper into the grooves.  I ended up buying a Humminguru machine and am very happy with it.  It has 10” and 7” adapters.

[Upgrade]

Depends on how old are the 78s.

A lot of library 78s tend to be newer (50s and 60s) and made of vinyl.

Truly old library 78s would likely be made of shellac and should never be cleaned with alcohol or alcohol based cleaning products which dissolves shellac.

[Retronic]

It’s amazing those shellac 10” survived.  They’re so fragile.  I have the odd one but not suitable for newer stylus’.

[WSBG Returns Yet Again!]

*Bump!* I'm bumping this thread because I just got some Sparkle window cleaner at my local hardware store. This stuff is ammonia and alcohol free, unlike Windex, which was the stuff I formerly used before distilled water. Ammonia damages vinyl records, and so does alcohol. I was thinking of using Windex Ammonia Free, but that stuff has sodium hydroxide, and I've heard that it's very corrosive, so I never bought it. Sparkle is the best choice of window cleaner for records according to this website: hxxps://vinylbro.com/how-to-clean-vinyl-records-with-windex/