Water is the main ingredient in record-cleaning solutions. The water is purified, however. Water found in record-cleaning solutions is often triple distilled or purified prior to being mixed with the other solution ingredients.
Most rubbing alcohol is less than 99% isopropyl alcohol. Many record-cleaning solutions contain 99% isopropyl alcohol, which can be found on many drug-store shelves. The alcohol helps remove any impurities on the record and evaporates quickly so that the record does not need to be rubbed too many times to remove the cleaning solution.
The soap in dish detergent breaks down grease-based substances that may be on records due to being handled after someone eats. This is why many record-cleaning solutions contain a form of detergent similar to dish-washing detergent. The detergent will break down the grease or oil so that it can be easily wiped off the record surface.
Some record-cleaning solutions contain enzymes which break down dirt, grease and other substances that may make the record dirty. The solutions that contain enzymes do not contain alcohol. While enzymatic solutions work well, they are more expensive than those that are alcohol based.