How to Make Your Own CD Cleaner

Compact discs (CDs) have become the standard for storing audio recordings. According to Ken C. Pohlmann in "The Compact Disc Handbook," digital media like CDs offer truer sound quality than analog and resist degradation. CDs are also used to read and write data.

But a CD's quality depends on proper care. Experts and do-it-yourselfers quarrel about the best way to make your own CD cleaner, but certain ideas seem to work for many people.

Things You'll Need

• Method 1:
• Lint-free cloth (photographer's lens cloth or old T-shirt)
• 1 qt. water
• 2 to 3 drops liquid dishwashing soap
• Rubbing alcohol
• Method 2:
• Rubber gloves
• 1/2 tsp. Tergitol 15-S-7 surfactant
• 1 gallon deionized water, plus extra for rinsing
• 2-gallon container (glass, stainless steel type 304 or 316, fiberglass-reinforced polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene)
• Spray bottle

Instructions

Method 1

1. Moisten a lint-free cloth with plain water.

2. Holding the CD by its edges, gently wipe the surface in straight lines, against the tracks, from the middle to the outside edge. Do not rub in circles, and do not follow the tracks on the disc, as this can scratch the surface.

3. If dirt remains, mix water and liquid soap. Apply the solution to a clean area of cloth. Gently wipe the CD's surface.

4. For dirt that cannot be removed with soap and water, moisten a clean area of cloth with rubbing alcohol and gently wipe the CD.

5. Allow the disc to dry completely.

Method 2

1. Wearing gloves, mix Tergitol and water in a container to create 1 gallon of 0.05 percent solution. The Library of Congress uses this formula to clean CDs.

2. Pour a small amount of the solution into the spray bottle.

3. Spray the solution onto the CD's surface.

4. Wipe the CD gently with the cloth, moving in straight lines from the middle to the edge.

5. Moisten a clean area of cloth with deonized water, and wipe the CD to rinse. Do not leave any solution on the CD's surface.

6. Wipe the CD dry with a clean area of cloth.

7. Store unused solution in a non-food refrigerator.

8. Store unused Tergitol in its original container, in a non-food refrigerator.

Tips & Warnings

• Before cleaning, dust the CD; this may correct the problem. Hold the CD by the edges. Using a soft, lint-free cloth, gently wipe from the center out toward the edge. Do not rub, and do not use a circular motion.

• If you have cleaned your CD and it still doesn't play properly, try a commercial CD cleaner. If it still does not work, it may be damaged.

References

• "The Compact Disc Handbook;" Ken C. Pohlmann; 1989
• ComputerHope.com: CD/DVD Cleaning
• "Hewlett-Packard Official Recordable CD Handbook: Your Ultimate Guide to Buying, Using, and Troubleshooting Recordable CD Equipment No Matter the Brand You Choose;" Mark L. Chambers; 2000

Resources

• The Library of Congress: Preservation: Cylinder, Disc and Tape Care in a Nutshell
• Dow Chemical: Tergitol Safety Information
• Colonial Scientific: Order Tergitol