Cleaning DVDs With Ultrasonic Cleaner

[mattstan]

Hi,

I'm thinking of getting a low cost ultrasonic cleaner, see URL below, to clean DVDs. Fairly regularly I'm faced with a DVD which needs a better clean than can be achieved with alcohol on a cloth. Does anyone have any experience of using an ultrasonic cleaner to clean DVDs? How effective is it? Would you recommend using one? Any advise would be welcome.

http://planet.farnell.com/email/cpc/WebOffers/Ultrasonic.htm

Many thanks and regards, etc.

[BJ_M]

pretty well a waste of money -- but cleaning plastic with alcohol not a great idea either as alcohol can leech plastic and cloud it ....

a microfiber cloth alone or with some really good plastic cleaner (like Brilliance) is all you need ... for really scratched disks i found a plastic fine scratch remover that makes them look like new ....

[mattstan]

pretty well a waste of money -- but cleaning plastic with alcohol not a great idea either as alcohol can leech plastic and cloud it ....

a microfiber cloth alone or with some really good plastic cleaner (like Brilliance) is all you need ... for really scratched disks i found a plastic fine scratch remover that makes them look like new ....

Firstly have you actually tried an ultrasonic cleaner? If so what were the results like? If not what were you basing the 'waste of money' comment on? I've heard they can be very effective at removing small particles, but just don't know how well they'd work on a DVD, the ultrasonic cleaner I've been looking at has a special DVD/CD holder, so presumably, it works at least to a certain extent.

Secondly what's the brand and name of the 'plastic fine scratch remover' you use, it sounds good, I'll get some regardless of whether I get the ultrasonic cleaner or not. Do you just spray it on and remove with a cloth?

Many thanks for your reply and advise.

[BJ_M]

Novus Fine (Plastic) Scratch Remover #2

a dvd has a smooth surface == or it is supposed to when new ... there is no point to remove small particles, unless you want to remove them from scratches..

[mattstan]

Novus Fine (Plastic) Scratch Remover #2

a dvd has a smooth surface == or it is supposed to when new ... there is no point to remove small particles, unless you want to remove them from scratches..

Thanks for the Novus, looked it up on the web and it sounds good.

Wouldn't finger prints, smudges, stickiness holding dirt, etc. all qualify as small particles and get removed by the ultrasonic cleaning process?

Do you find that cleaning with Novus No.2 allows you to get rid of playing problems with, say, a rental DVD?

Thanks again.

[BJ_M]

finger prints, smudges, stickiness holding dirt can all be wiped off - even washing in sink w/ water or with a plastic cleaner ....

if you want to get a ultrasonic cleaner - go ahead .... but it is a waste of money ..... they were good for some LP's to get dirt out of tracks - not an issue with dvds ... even cleaning LPs (i had a nitty gritty cleaner) often made the lp sound worse.

[lordsmurf]

You don't have to use a product to know it's a piece of crap. I don't have to eat a dog turd to know it'll taste bad. I don't have to throw myself in front of a moving car to know I'll die.

Now with that out of the way...

There are only two ways to clean/restore a disc:

1. Use soap/waster, or a non-abrasive cleaning fluid (usually with some degree of alcohol), and then wipe it gently. Remove any labels that might be on the disc. If this does not work...

2. Have the disc re-surfaced. There are pro machines out there, they cost money, that sand down the surface of the disc, and then re-buff it. The disc will be a tad thinner, possibly out of spec. But the point is to allow the disc to be read one last time, so it can be copied to new media.

This little machine is retarded. They sell pieces of crap like that in the USA too, those "Disc Doctor" things that usually just make the disc worse. They smear dirt and add scratches.

As BJM said, those LP cleaners usually made LPs worse. I clean LPs much like I clean camera lenses. Works well.

[blinky88]

By far the best way to clean a disc is with a micro fibre cloth. If necessary breath on the area causing concern and wipe with the micro fibre cloth.

[stiltman]

Damn, y'all are really particular in your clean methods

Finger prints and dirt, I just breath on it and wipe it on my shirt or pants.

Scratches, I've never had one that was scratched enough that I couldn't copy it to my drive for a reburn. And if I did, I'd just grab the original and re-rip it.

[spiffy]

Where can I find lint-free micro fiber cloth these days? 3M used to market a micro fiber cloth made specially to clean CDs/DVDs -- and they were washable and reusable -- I should have stocked up on it but didn't.

Now the only micro fiber cloth I can find are those marketed as dish cloths, sold in Target. They may be micro fiber, but they look mighty linty to me...

As for really dirty discs, I still go with what a video store manager tells me to do -- Formula 409. That's how they clean their rental discs in the store. I think it's mild and non-abrasive enough that it won't cause any real problems.

Just be real careful about resurfacing -- like those DiscRX thingie -- I bought one of those years ago, because a CD I own started to skip in my car stereo. I was overly aggressive with the resurfacing, and basically took off the layer containing the data as well. And turned out it was my car stereo that was going bad, not the disc.

[juststarting]

How do you think this cleaner would work to clean clogged inkjet heads. Have a Canon that I've tried soaking with Alcohol in the tanks, but still no go. Only the black works, so everything gets printed in grayscale.

[AlanHK]

If a disc is dirty, I rinse it in tepid water and then drop some dishwashing liquid on the disc and rub gently with my fingertips, not pressing hard in case that makes any grit scratch. Then multiple rinses and wipe dry with a non-linty cloth. I buy lots of grotty second hand discs, if they haven't been scratched they usually play fine after that.

The discs would probably survive, but I can't believe ultrasonc vibration is good for their longevity.

[AlanHK]

How do you think this cleaner would work to clean clogged inkjet heads. Have a Canon that I've tried soaking with Alcohol in the tanks, but still no go. Only the black works, so everything gets printed in grayscale.

Most people recommend some ammonia solution, as in some (not all) window cleaners.
http://www.eddiem.com/photo/printer/unclog/unclog.html

[JohnnyMalaria]

Fully agree with just about everything above.

An ultrasonic cleaner is a complete waste of time for an object that is as flat and smooth as a DVD.

In my real life, I'm a chemist and spend a lot of time using ultrasonic baths for a multitude of reasons. With a DVD, I would be concerned about any invisible flaws that will be subjected to the very intense, localized energy from the ultrasonics. i.e., you could create more problems than you are trying to solve....


juststarting:

BTW, for a clogged cartridge, it's an ideal tool as long as:

1. You have the right volume of water in the bath
2. You immerse just the right part of the cartridge - i.e., just enough to cover the nozzles

As soon as you turn it on, you should see stream of dye come out as the bath breaks down the clogs.

[handyguy]

For inkjets, put a half inch of boiling water in a cup. Soak just the clogged part in it for 5 minutes.

I use water & pat dry to clean dvds.

This untrasonic stuff is getting out of hand.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Good idea.

I usually put soak a tissue with alcohol and dab it against the nozzles. It's always worked for me and I haven't damage the cartridge.

[dadrab]

Where can I find lint-free micro fiber cloth these days? 3M used to market a micro fiber cloth made specially to clean CDs/DVDs -- and they were washable and reusable -- I should have stocked up on it but didn't.

Good old cloth diapers. Wash them once to get the "new" out and you've got microfibre cloths - cheap. There may be a little lint associated, but not much.

They're very soft and excellent for cleaning most sensitive, smooth surfaces.

I keep CDs and DVDs in the cases to prevent scratches and handle only from the edges. My kids have even learned the importance of not touching the data side of a disc. 8)

[JohnnyMalaria]

Where can I find lint-free micro fiber cloth these days? 3M used to market a micro fiber cloth made specially to clean CDs/DVDs -- and they were washable and reusable -- I should have stocked up on it but didn't.

Now the only micro fiber cloth I can find are those marketed as dish cloths, sold in Target. They may be micro fiber, but they look mighty linty to me...

http://www.microfibertech.com/Microfiber-Towels_c_10.html?gclid=CO_OvOjPyI0CFR6QIgodWDXhGQ

(I use these - no lint.)

http://magicmicrocloth.com/ (lint-free, too)

Plus many more here.

[Captain315]

I've found what I believe is the best way to clean a disc. A product called "Plexus" is a plastic cleaner that is the absolute best I've ever used. It's the ONLY product allowed to be put on the cockpit windows of the B1 bomber. This can be purchased at motorcycle shops or over the internet. It's a little pricey at $11 for a large can but it will last forever. Spray a little of this on a disc and wipe it with a microfiber cloth (available at Walmart and most other stores in the kitchen or automotive departments) is the only thing I've found that will NOT scratch a dvd disc. Give this a try and you won't be sorry.

[samijubal]

Plexus is great, by far the best way to clean discs. It even keeps the cloth from scratching the disc as already stated. There's a motorcycle shop near me that sells smaller cans for $6.

[greymalkin]

I'm sure it's great for the things shown in the picture! the best way to protect your media is take it off the disc!