Remove Those Scratches From Your CDs and DVDs

It's amazing how much media a CD can store. It's not unusual for people today to purchase a blank disk and record music or files or copy a movie in it. Even so, CD RWs and other media storage devices like it do not last forever. Eventually those CD media will get scratches on them, and when this happens, it's very likely that they will no longer work. In the case of blank media, they will no longer be able to store data.

Scratches on CDs and other disks can be quite a problem, but you'll be surprised to know that there are effective methods to get rid of these annoying scratches.

Begin by cleaning the disc's surface. Put the disc under running, (preferably) warm water. Using a liquid soap or a mild detergent, soap the CD media to remove the grime and other stains. Remember this: when rubbing, rub the disc from the center going out. If you use a circular motion, you'll be putting in more scratches, instead of taking them out.

When you're done, rinse the soapy disc and remove the excess water by shaking the CD or DVD. Air dry it, and inspect the disc afterwards. You can also try reading the disc in your DVD player or your PC, to see if it's working.

If it still won't read, you need to try some more polishing techniques. First, try removing the scratches with a banana peel. Get the peeling and rub it on the CD or DVD's surface. Just as the previous instruction, rub it from the center going inward. Make sure you scrub the heavy scratches well. An alternative for the banana peel is toothpaste.

Another material you can use to remove scratches from your disc is metal polish. Be careful when handling this material though, and make sure you're working in a well-ventilated area, so you won't be inhaling the nasty fumes. Use a soft cloth to apply the polish. After rubbing for five minutes, wash the disc completely, making sure there's no residue. Once again, shake the excess water and air dry. You can test the disc again, and see if it's already working.

Another great idea would be to backup the CD. Use a burning software and burn another copy into a blank DVD disk or CD RW. If, after cleaning, the disc works, make sure you do this. In case the disc encounters problems playing again, you'll have a back up copy.

These cleaning techniques generally work on all kinds of discs: DVDs, blank CDR, and even mini discs. Make sure you know how to do this, so if you ever have a scratched CD, you can bring it back to normal.