An RCM is a bonus. But you can also get by with a minimalist kit until you decide of this game of vinyl is for you.
A minimalist kit might have a paint edging pad, some Isopropyl Alc, a drip or two of detergent, micro-fiber towels, and distilled rinse water.
paint pad, like this:
One of those athletic water bottles, or scientist-like bottles with the squeeze spout makes applying the cleaning solution easy. Wipe the record with the painting pad, working the solution into the grooves, let it rest, scrub again, and rinse and dry. Some folks use a clean dish rack to dry their records.
I'm of the vacuum cleaner camp.
I built an RCM around a VPI vacuum stanchion and tube, the Vactrola. I have two platters for cleaning; one for wet cleaning, which is hand rotated. I have a second platter with a motor on it, and the VPI vacuum wand. I clean on one platter, move the record to the motorized vac side, and while it is vacuuming, I clean the cleaning platter off, and ready for the other side / other record.
There are also ultrasonic cleaners that people have devised.