Remove the vinyl record from its sleeve. Hold the record by the edges, with your fingers pointing upward to avoid fingerprints and oil from your hands adding to the dirt on the record. Place the record onto a mat or clean surface.
Make a mixture of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and distilled water, with half alcohol and half water in a clean bowl. Dip a soft, clean cloth into the bowl and wring the cloth until damp. Rub the cloth onto the vinyl record, going with the grain of the grooves and avoiding the paper label in the center of the record. Return the cloth to the bowl as needed and replace the solution if it becomes extremely dirty.
Dry the record with a dry, clean cloth. Flip the record over and repeat on the opposite side. Place the album in a new, clean paper sleeve. Avoid placing the record back into the original sleeve to keep the original dirt and dust from returning to the record.