How To Clean CDs & DVDs

Spring Cleaning Tips

How To Clean CDs & DVDs - Introduction
I don't know about you, but one of biggest pet hates is lending a CD or DVD to a friend or family member and having it returned with finger marks, smudges or - even worse - scratches on it. Well, if this constantly happens to you, or you too are sometimes careless with the way you handle CDs or DVDs then you've come to the right place.

I have compiled a list of helpful hints, tips and advice on how to clean CDs and DVDs. So without further ado let's get started.

How Do I clean CDs and DVDs?
Rubbing AlcoholRubbing alcohol is excellent for cleaning CDs. it's un-abrasive and cleans purely. Here, add a little bit of the alcohol to a piece of cotton wool and gently clean the CD or DVD from inside to out. Repeat if needed. This method of cleaning will work wonder on scratches too.

Vodka - If you don't have any rubbing alcohol to hand then, you use a strong vodka instead, it works along exactly the same lines, so why not give it a go?

Baby Wipes - One of the best ways to clean smudges and fingermarks from CD or DVDs is to give it a quick wipe with a baby wipe, ensuring you stick to the same inside, to outside principal as outlined above.

Optical Wipes - Optical wipes are laced with alcohol, so will make cleaning CDs and DVDs a doddle. They can be purchased from practically any supermarket or chemist, which makes them a handy alternative to the above tips.

Banana Peel - If you don't have any of the above products at home then why not use this strange tip on how to clean CDs? Gently rub the inside of a banana skin over the surface area of the CD, wipe with a very soft cloth and then remove the remainder of the banana with a damp (very) soft cloth. You will find that this works wonders on scratched CDs and DVDs, because the banana fills in deep scratches, which makes for a smooth playback, due to the laser not jumping around as much.

Protecting CDs and DVDs
The best way to clean a CD or DVD is not to get it dirty in the first place. Adhere to the following pieces of advice and this should ease your CD cleaning headaches.

Always remove CD's from 'playback' tray when not in use.

Always place CD or DVD back in its rightful case when not in use.

Don't place more than one CD on a cases hub

Don't expose the 'playback' surface area to direct sunlight.

Remove smudges and fingermarks from CDs ASAP.

Don't clean CDs or DVDs with the inside of your t-shirt, this will leave small scratches.

Don't clean CDs in a circular motion. Stick with the principal of cleaning from the inside, to the outside of the disc.

Don't touch the 'playback' surface area of the disc, instead hold the edges of the CD or DVD.

Thanks for checking out our tips on how to clean CDs and DVDs. I hope you found them useful.

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