How to Clean Light Scratches From a CD or DVD

Reflective Image of a DVD Disk.

First let me say you may not be able to reverse the damage done to the disk, but the method below might help the disc be readable again. If this does work, I would suggest, if possible, you consider making a copy of the disc.

If the CD or DVD contains software, contact the company and they may send you a new disk or send you a link where you can download the program.

Cleaning the CD or DVD

Prior to taking the steps to reduce the scratch, make sure the surface of the DVD is clean.

Don’t clean the surface of your DVDs or CDs by wiping them on your clothing. Our clothing can be rough or the disk can rub against a button or a heavy seem on jeans which can cause more scratches on the surface of the disk. You also should not use a paper towel or anything similar as these are too abrasive.

Start by using a bulb air duster (not a can of air, the blast of air is too strong) and carefully blow the surface. I use the bulb duster I bought for my camera. If you don’t have one of these then blow a few puffs of air from your mouth.

Then take a microfiber cloth (or if you wear glasses the cloth you use for cleaning them) and wipe the surface of the disk starting at the center of the disk and work your way towards the edge of the disk.

Reducing the Scratch on Your CD or DVD Using Toothpaste

Once the disk is clean dab a very small amount of non-gel toothpaste (like Crest) on a cotton swab and gently rub in a circular motion over the scratch. You don’t need to use much force, a light rubbing will work.

It will be hard but try and not extend much beyond the scratch as the toothpaste will “sand” the scratched area.

When you’ve finished, gently rinse with cool water until the toothpaste has been rinsed away and dry with a microfiber cloth.

You should notice the scratch has been reduced and/or possible gone. You will also notice the surface where you used the toothpaste is slightly dulled.

If this is your first time trying to reduce a scratch on a disk, you might be super careful when using the toothpaste and not rubbing enough. If after cleaning you see the scratch pretty much looks the same, try using the toothpaste again.

Now try and use your CD or DVD again and see if it works.

Has this method worked for you? Do you have any other tips for removing scratches from a CD or DVD? If so, share with us and our readers.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

7 Steps to Cleaning Your Vacuum

Image
  Cleaning the Vacuum Cleaner We try to clean our home and keep up with the housework on a regular basis. Maybe it’s every few days, once a week, or less often? But how often do we think to clean the vacuum cleaner? No matter what kind of vacuum you use, I’m pretty sure it’s a veritable work horse with all the dirt, debris, hair and who knows what else we have it suck up. Sometimes it truly amazes me mine runs as long as it does, especially when my younger kids are vacuuming. So treating your vacuum and the accessories that came with it, to a good cleaning on a somewhat regular basis can’t hurt. It’s not a time consuming job and something that can be done when the weather’s keeping you indoors. Step 1: Be sure the vacuum is unplugged. I’m sure this bit of instruction isn’t necessary but you never know. Step 2: If parts need to be removed, make sure you know how to put it back together by taking pictures or labeling. Step 3: Use mild soap and water to clean the accessories and ...
Read more

Cleaning Around the House with White Vinegar

Image
I know you see posts all the time about the using white vinegar to clean around the house and I as well post about the many uses. These are some of the questions we get asked often by our clients. You may not realize it, but white vinegar is environmentally friendly, it’s a germ fighter and you probably have it on a kitchen shelf already as you may use it to cook with time and again for tenderizing meats, pickling your garden veggies and bringing out the flavor of some foods. I have to say, I think my bottle of white vinegar is used more for cleaning around the house than for using in my recipes. You can use it to sanitize the washing machine, make your own window cleaner and so much more. Vinegar can be used all around the house, from the kitchen to the bathrooms and even used to clean certain types of floors.  Vinegar is quite effective for killing household germs, bacteria, and killing most molds due to its acidic nature. However, because of its acidic nature it will damag...
Read more

Got A Grass Stain?

Image
Are you looking for ways to get grass stains out of clothing? Grass stains happen! What do you do? When your kids are playing in the yard or you’re on your knees doing yard work, it can be quite common to get grass stains on the knees of our pants. The problem with grass stains is they can be mixed with more than just grass. There may be some mud and other things in the mix but when you need to get the stain out, concentrate on the grass part of the stain first. Simple Cleaning Solution This is a non-toxic way to clean the grass stain. • Go to your local health food store or pharmacy and purchase a supplemental, digestive enzyme in powder or pill form. • Use 1 teaspoon of the powder and add a little water to make a paste. • Apply the paste to the grass stain, covering the entire area and let sit for one hour. • Wash as you normally would but don’t put it in the dryer yet. Let it air dry to make sure the stain is gone. Dry Cleaning Solvent Test in an inconspicuous spot first then fo...
Read more