Clean a Dirty CD

CDs that have been out of their cases are prone to getting smudged, fingerprinted, or dusty. Follow this simple method with the tools you have around the house to make your CDs as good as new.

Steps

1. Try removing all dust. Be very careful here—you can actually scratch a CD in the process of removing dust. The best thing to use is canned air, but in a pinch you can also gently wipe off the CD with a soft, lint free cloth. Work in straight lines from the center of the CD to the outer edge. If this does not work, try one of the following methods.

Soap and Water Method

1. Find a medium-sized clean container (big enough to submerge a CD).
2. Squeeze out about a tablespoon of hand dish soap, or window cleaner into the container. You can also buy an all-natural cleaning liquid that is made of distilled water.
3. Add water to the container. You should see soap suds.
4. Put your dirty CD in the soapy water and leave for about a minute.
5. Remove CD and rinse it off in warm, running water.
6. Repeat process if necessary.
7. Shake off excess water and allow to air dry.

Rubbing Alcohol Method

1. Get a container of 90% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Make a small amount of a 1 to 1 solution of the rubbing alcohol and distilled water. Note: be sure that the water is distilled, as tap or spring water can cause permanent damage to your CD.
2. Find a soft piece of lint-free cloth. Alternatively, you can use a chamois.
3. Dip the corner of the cloth into the mixture. Gently wipe the CD, starting from the center hole and wiping straight out to the edge. This should be done all around the CD

you can also use soap and Water and dry the CD off with a towel

Tips

• Wipe from the center of the disc out to the edges in a straight line.
• If the smudges are especially stubborn, you can also use a very fine cloth, or your fingers, to rub some soap on the bottom of the CD. Soap will not harm the CD in any way.
• Never use a rough towel; it will scratch your CD or DVD.

Warnings

• Do not wipe in circles.
• Do not use dishwasher detergent.
• Do not use abrasive cloths to wipe the CD.
• This method will not get rid of scratches.
• Be sure to do this in a well-ventilated environment.

Things You'll Need

• Hand soap or window cleaner
• Medium-sized container
• Water
• A CD

Related Articles

• Tell if a CD Is Damaged
• Fix a Scratched CD
• Destroy a CD or DVD
• Recover Data from the Hard Drive of a Dead Laptop
• Recover Deleted Files from Your Computer

See also

• Make a Professional Quality CD
• Put Photos on a CD That Will Play on a DVD Player
• Print DVD Labels
• Make a CD Sleeve from Paper
• Fix a Scratched DVD
• Create an ISO File
• Fix a Scratched CD
• Transfer VHS Tapes to DVD or Other Digital Formats
• Spot Fake DVDs
• Burn a DVD

Read more ...

What links here

• Repair a CD With Toothpaste