Do you ALWAYS clean your NEW lp's first???

[Josquin des Prez]

I had a conversation about this with the folks at AP/QRP when I visited Salina, KS. They told me (and I already thought so) that when brand new is the most important time to clean a record. If you let it play with mold release compound, the heat from friction of the stylus playing can start to bind it to the grooves, which manifests as ticks and pops down the road. Then it's too late to do anything about it.

When I get a new or used record, I clean it with AIVS Formula 15 and a ultra pure water rinse, and give it a new Mofi or QRP sleeve.

[Royzak]

Yes, every record new or second hand goes through a Loricraft clean before reaching the turntable.