Help removing label from DVD/CD-R

[harpe025]

Hey all, I stupidly mislabled a set of DVD-Rs and they are so damn expensive I don't want to toss 'em. Is there a good way to remove the label? If I rip, then part of the label is still on of course. Is there a save adhesive remover or method to avoid hurting the data side of the disk? Thanks for any help.

[terrell28]

In answer to your question, I don't know. But what I do know is...Whatever you do, do NOT use Acetone or a thinner. Acetone will “eat” or “melt” most plastics, and thinners do the same to some plastics. You might want to try good old rubbing alcohol. Personally, that’s what I would try to use to get any of the “sticky” off. Is the label on the “data” side???

[harpe025]

In answer to your question, I don't know. But what I do know is...Whatever you do, do NOT use Acetone or a thinner. Acetone will “eat” or “melt” most plastics, and thinners do the same to some plastics. You might want to try good old rubbing alcohol. Personally, that’s what I would try to use to get any of the “sticky” off. Is the label on the “data” side???

Well, if it was I wouldn't admit it . No, it is on the top, but I would like to avoid hurting any part of the disk if possible.

[DaveS]

I saw a post some time back that said to soak it in soapy water ... can't vouch for this but that was someone's post here

[kiki]

WD-40 if they are paper labels. Put dvd on a paper towel face side up.
Soak with WD-40 and let sit for about an hour. Label will slip right off.
Then wash with soapy water and dry thoroughly.
I started labeling my dvd's before I read about the problem in some players. Although they played perfectly in my norcent dp-300, there were issues in other players.
Best of luck

[Bob W]

Do a search of these forums as a few months back there was a post giving detailed instructions on how to remove labels.

[overloaded_ide]

Green side down... or up, depending on your labeler I geuss

If the disks are somewhat important to ya, take a coaster applie a label and see if you can get it off ok before trying the method on a good disk!

And of course if the disks work as labeled make a backup to an rw first also. Then if you trash the disk you can burn another, and if you save the disk you can erase the rw

Ya, common horse sense, but not as common as you may think! Especailly when frustrated already from using the wrong labels.

If you did it already, did it work and howed you do it.

[harpe025]

I started labeling my dvd's before I read about the problem in some players. Although they played perfectly in my norcent dp-300, there were issues in other players.
Best of luck

What kind of problems do some players have with labeled DVDs? I have had no problems at first blush, but do problems occur later on?

[ceptico]

Try this

http://www.mantech.co.za/KONTAKT/K50.htm

[thegig]

Yea, don't use acetone or thinner, but you can use mineral spirits. That's what I use. Same chemicals as UNDO.

[Pachycephalic]

Try soaking in any citric based cleaner. Use it all the time at work to remove labels off equipment when refurbishing. Should not have any detrimental affect on CD or DVD.

[VinnySem]

Try steaming it off over a pot of boiling water. I just did one the other night, worked perfectly. Hold the disk label side down with a pair of tongs so you dont burn yourself.

I use the Americal No-Wobble labels on all my disks, they work fantastically. They aren't as absorbent as regular paper, so you may have to adjust your ink volume. I've had some areas with a lot of black be tacky after several days. But, the disks labelled with these play flawlessly from beginning to end without a single skip or jitter, and when applied to a silver topped disk they have a very cool metallic effect.

Meritline very generously sent me one of their labelling kits to test, however I found that after about a half hour, the disk started to skip and jitter and ultimately stopped playing. If you put the disk in and go to the last chapter immediately, it will play fine to the end, but something seems to happen when the Meritline labels heat up, they shift somewhat and go off balance.

[q-9]

Use a blow dryer, it works all the time for me, peel the label off as your putting the blow dryer towards the dvd.

[vincville]

Are you all sure paper label (Stomper Labeling Paper is what I used) caused all of my DVD movies either freeze at the middle or the end of the movies??? I have 30 to 40 movies with lable on. As first, I though bad media. I did burn on 4 different medias. They all freezed on 3 different DVD players.

I tried to burn without chapters --- same problem.
I tried to burn less than 4gb --- same problem.
I tried to put label on before burning---same problem.
I tried to burn without label and played on DVD player. I got 1 out of 3 so far playing fine. SO, ???????????

Right now, I am not burn any more movies until someone has any good idea or reason why to avoid this frustrated problem, especially close the end of the movies ( most excited part of the movies)

If label definitely is the problem, I will try to remove them with all previous persons recommended.

Thanks. Vince

[Bob W]

Myself I don't believe the labels are the problem. I have over 300 DVDR's all labeled and they all play just fine all the way through the movie on any of my three DVD players. I had the skipping problem only one time and that was due to a lot of 15 Verbatim discs that would skip near the end or about 4GB into the discs. The solution for those discs was simple, don't use them for any recordings over 4GB and don't buy Verbatim discs.