How Do I Clean A Cd Disk

Make clean Scratched CDs

Michele Wanke

Michele has over two decades worth of professional person writing experience.

You tin clean scratched CDs using household cleaners, repair kits, and specialized products. If your favorite music or data CD is skipping or refuses to play, try cleaning the CD first earlier trashing it.

Is Your CD Scratched or Muddied?

Compact disks, or CDs, consist of a thin sheet of aluminum or other material covered by plastic. Lasers in computers or meaty disk machines play over the surface of the CD and read the data. Dirt or scratches interfere with the laser, and information technology tin't read certain sections of the deejay. This causes skipping, stuttering, or disk failures.

Sometimes, plain old dirt, grease, or oils from fingertips mar the surface enough to cause the CD to skip. If that'due south the case, simple household cleaners can be used to remove surface contaminants. Many times this volition exercise the fob and your CD will play like new. Endeavour taking a apparently cotton ball and gently wiping down the CD, starting from the heart pigsty and swiping in brusk, firm strokes towards the edge. However, y'all never want to run a cotton ball, cleaner or rag around the disk, like an erstwhile fashioned record player. This tin can irreparably damage the CD. Instead, ever piece of work from the center towards the rim.

How to Clean Scratched CDs

If you've tried wiping the CD down with a cotton ball or using simple household cleaners and still can't play the CD, concur it up to the calorie-free, tilting it back and along, to check for scratches. Scratches from the center to room usually don't affect performance, but scratches that follow around the deejay tin impair performance. Locate the scratch. Focus your polishing and cleaning efforts on the scratch to minimize accidental damage to the balance of the CD.

Homemade Remedies

Because scratches are unremarkably just in the plastic coating of the CD, they can be buffed out with abrasive polishes. Ever test whatsoever polish, no matter how mild, on a CD that you don't care nearly before using it on something you favor. Test first to brand certain you've got the technique downwardly pat earlier using information technology on your favorite or irreplaceable CD'south. Once y'all know it won't impairment your particular CD, you tin can proceed.

Common household items that make expert CD polishers to buff out scratches include:

Paste toothpaste (Note: do not employ gel toothpaste)
Baking soda mixed with water to form a paste
Brasso

Cleaning Directions

To clean scratched CDs using household cleansers, follow these simple steps:

Locate the scratch on the CD surface.
Use a clean, soft cloth and wipe the CD from heart to rim.
Apply a pocket-sized amount of toothpaste, blistering soda mixture or Brasso, using just one cleanser at a fourth dimension.
Gently rub from eye to rim merely on the scratch itself with the cleanser.
Rinse off the toothpaste or baking soda mixture. If using Brasso, only wipe clean.
Pat the CD dry with a cloth and try playing it. Y'all may demand to make clean it twice to get the best results.

Recollect to be very gentle with the polish. You're trying to buff the scratches off the plastic layer. Exist conscientious, if you vitrify besides hard, you tin irreparably damage the nether layer and the CD won't play.

Commercial Products

Several companies make kits, machines and products to repair scratched CDs. Companies that repair airplanes use products similar Prist to smoothen the acrylic surfaces of planes, and they do the aforementioned to the plastic surface of a CD. Glass cleaners and acrylic polishers can be used on CDs, but as with homemade cleansers, you should always exam the product on a disposable CD. In add-on, you can buy commercial cleaners that are peculiarly formulated to clean discs, such as Scotch Disc Cleaner. The easy-to-use product removes dust, clay, oil and debris without leaving behind a nasty residue.

Cleaning Directions

In order to restore your CDs to their original appearance, follow this easy cleaning method:

Notice a clean, soft cloth and run information technology in the dryer for a few minutes to remove any grit or debris.
Practice not spray cleaner direct onto the discs; rather, use the cleaner to the cloth.
Without touching the shiny surface of the disc, gently wipe the CD from the eye to outer edge. Never clean discs using a circular motion.
Examine the disc for residual lint.
Allow disc to completely dry earlier returning to gem case or plastic protector.

Prevention is Key

To foreclose future scratches, always replace CDs into their respective jewel cases when not in play. Proceed a clean, soft cloth on paw and wipe them from centre to rim earlier and after playing. Handle by gently picking them upwardly on the rims, never touching the play surface. Many of these tips also apply to DVDs.

CD Care

You lot can salve a ton of money past cleaning your CDs on a regular footing. By caring for your discs you can assistance preserve their delicate exterior and avoid having to toss out CDs because they exercise not play properly. The cleaning process is quick and painless. What'southward more, it will increase the life of a CD, especially if yous are conscientious when treatment it and avoid leaving it out in direct sunlight. Finally, if you discover scratches on the surface of CDs, information technology's a skillful idea to brand a re-create of them before your histrion refuses to read them.