How to Fix Scratched CDs

CDs have become the standard playback medium for music since they hit the market in 1982. But with progress came trouble. The music quality was far better than the outdated cassette tape, but the CDs could be scratched and end up not playing music at all. The world has progressed and made CD scratch removers and cleaners, but they can often cost you more than you'd like to pay. Luckily there is a way to get rid of those pesky scratches using a few common household products.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Isopropyl Alcohol
• Soft Cloth
• Toothpaste
• Cotton Swabs
• Vaseline

Fix Scratched CDs

1. Ensure that your CD is not just dirty. Clean it by dipping a soft cloth into some isopropyl alcohol gently wipe the surface. Make sure to hold the CD by its center hole. Do not touch the surface.

2. Try the CD in a different CD player or computer drive if the problem persists after cleaning. If you end up with the same result, your CD most likely needs more than just a cleaning to fix it.

3. Polish the CD with toothpaste. Use a cotton swab to do this. Rub the toothpaste covered swab over the scratches until they disappear or are as removed as they're going to be. Do not worry if the toothpaste causes other scratches. These are small and superficial and will not affect CD play. If this doesn't work, continue to step 4.

4. Put a small amount of Vaseline on a swab and rub it on the CD from the center to the rim. Do not press too hard while doing this. The toothpaste and Vaseline will not damage the music on the CD, they will just fill in the scratches on the plastic part of the CD that are stopping your player from reading the disc information.

5. Test the CD again. If it works, then you did great. If not, there is probably another scratch causing problems. Hold the CD at an angle in the light to try to see any other scratches.

Tips & Warnings

• As soon as you notice any scratch on your CD (before it starts to affect CD play), burn the CD. If you burn the CD, you will still have a copy if the CD gets too scratched to play.
• Avoid using a sponge when trying to clean your CD. This may cause more damage.

[jorjam83]

on 10/12/2009 i tried a product called scratchout and it was relativly cheap and effective. the deep scratches were lessened and the small ones disappeared. the product stands behind its name!