Cleaning CD & DVD

[Marvingj]

Can anyone tell how they clean their CD's & DVD's. Do you use those clean machines or do you still wipe them clean. Also Whats the best way to repair surface scratches......Gotta find a better way than I'm doing it.

[guns1inger]

I start by keeping them in their covers when not in use, and never touching the playback surface - that way they rarely, if ever, require any cleaning.

For the occasional ex-rental that I pick up cheap, or the rental that won't play, I use windex and a soft cloth to remove fingerprints.

Scratches can sometimes be reduced by white toothpaste, but this a temporary measure to allow a backup to be made. If you seriously want the scratches removed, take it to somewhere that can shave the surface back for you. You can only do it once or twice, so learn to look after your toys.

[MackemX]

I used baby oil and a good wiping cloth to get a data DVD-R disc that had been scratched to copy onto my PC. It managed to read the data just that one time I needed it

[ROF]

I never use those cleaning machines. They tend to introduce more micro scratches to the surface and after several uses they also require you to wipe the disc anyways. I rarely if ever have to clean my media. Those who use it understand how to properly handle it. They are either inside the jewel case or inside the machine. For rentals I might use a lint free cloth to wipe away fingerprints. I never use an abrasive cleanser on the surface.

[harley2ride]

I have used a disk doctor for about 5 years now. They work great. My nephew had an play station, and he was terrible about taking care of the discs. When they would get to where they would not play at all, I would run them through the disk doctor, and they would work fine. Some of them I have cleaned at least three times, and they are still working.