How to Remove Scratches From CDs

A scratched CD or DVD can be just as frustrating as a scratched LP used to be. A scratch in the wrong place will often cause it to skip or freeze during play. While not all scratches can be fixed, many can be. Be wary of commercial solutions to this problem. Home remedies are often just as effective if not more so.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Several very soft cloths, such as the kind intended for cleaning eye glasses
• Eye glass cleaning solution
• Metal cleaner such as Brasso
• CD grinder such as Skip Doctor (only needed for the worst scratches)

Removing Scratches from CDs

1. Play the disk in question to determine if it actually has any problem. If your disc has visible scratches that do not cause any problems during play, you are better off leaving it alone. You could end up creating a problem where there was none before.
2. Examine the disc visually. If the scratches are very deep, or are made in a circular direction, they are less likely to succeed than if the scratches are small and perpendicular to the center of the disk. If the surface appears abraded, then you may be better off using a specially designed grinder to remove the top layer of plastic. See Step 9.
3. Clean the disc using the soft cloth and eye glass cleaner. It is possible that dirt, instead of scratches, is causing the problem. When cleaning, always rub in a straight line from the center of the disc toward the outside edge. Never rub in a circular motion as this could make the problem much worse.
4. Try playing the disc again and see if the problem goes away. If not, then continue to the next step.
5. Get another soft cloth and apply a metal polish of a similar type to Brasso. As before, wipe in straight lines, from the inside to the ourside. Do NOT rub in a circular motion. Use mild pressure. Be careful not to press too hard or you could crack the disc. Work your way around the disc until you have covered all scratches completely.
6. Wipe the disc once more, in the same way, using a cloth dampened with water to remove any excess polish.
7. Let the disc dry. If necessary pat it dry with a soft towel, but do not rub it.
8. Try playing the disc again. The skipping should now be eliminated, or at least greatly improved. If there is little or no improvement, then you may be out of luck. As a last resort you can try the next step, but be aware that it will cost you about $20-30 and there is still no guarantee that it will work. Thus, it may not be worth it, unless you have a lot of damaged discs in need of repair.
9. Use a CD grinder, such as Skip Doctor. It works by physically grinding off the top layer of plastic on your CD. This will work only with certain types of scratches. Follow the instructions on the package precisely. After using it you may repeat the metal polish procedure above if needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Keeping your CDs in protective cases and out of the reach of small children, will greatly reduce the likelihood of them being scratched.
• Never rub a CD or DVD in a circular motion. Even a soft cloth can crate tiny scratches. Circular scratches are much more likely to cause a disc to skip than one made from the center to the outside of the disc.
• Solutions such as eye glass cleaner and metal polish should be kept out of the reach of children.