How to Repair a Scratched CD or DVD

Is there anything more frustrating than rocking out to music and having the CD begin to skip? Or how about when you’re at the climax of a movie and all the sudden the DVD player stalls and you miss the most important scene after investing sometimes hours into the story. Well here are a few steps you can take to restore your CDs or DVDs to playable condition and avoid those profanity ridden outbursts directed at your media players.

Check if there is excess dirt of grime on the surface. If there is remove it with a soft, lint-free cloth. Make sure and wipe the disk from the inside to the outside in a straight line and not in a circular pattern.

Clean the disk with a damp, lint-free cloth (such as the small cloths used to clean eyeglasses) making sure you continue to wipe from the center to the edge of the disk in a straight line. Cleaning the disk will wipe away any smudges and allow you to easily spot the scratches that need repairing.

Now it’s time to fix the scratches. If you’re having trouble locating the scratches then hold the disk up to a light source and check its surface from different angles. Take a small amount of toothpaste, wax or ideally the liquid that comes with a CD/DVD repair kit and carefully work it into the scratches. Use several thin layers to fill in the scratches and allow it to dry for a bit.

Next buff the disk lightly using the same method as before going from the center to the edge in a straight line. The repair liquid will dry and disappear as you continue to buff.

If some scratches still appear when the liquid is gone then redo steps four and five until you’re satisfied with the results.