Cleaning a CD and the player is essential to maintain their quality. To keep both the player and disc in good shape, you can try the following methods.
Proper Maintenance for CD Players
This technique should work with both portable CD players and CD drives. Open the disc drive and use a soft, clean cloth to clean the area. For portable CD players, wipe clean the disc with a tissue or cloth.
You can also use disc cleaners. These are discs equipped with a small brush. Just put it in the disc drive and press play. Continue cleaning a CD for as long as the instructions indicate.
Liquid cleaning solutions are also available. These are applied in different ways. For computer disc drives, put some liquid on the CD’s brush. Insert it in the CD drive and press play.
For portable players, you can use the same technique. Another way is to put some liquid into a piece of cotton. Clean the lens. Be gentle so the lens doesn’t get damaged.
How to Wipe the CD Disc
For dirt and dust, any dry soft cloth will be sufficient. Hold the disc with one finger in the middle hole and another one on the side. Wipe the cloth beginning from the inner part. Work your way to the outside. Wipe in a straight way. Do not wipe in a circular manner. Cleaning a CD in that manner will not remove the dirt.
Other Cleaning Materials
For more persistent dirt, you can use alcohol. Combine one part alcohol with one part water. Wipe the disc using the method suggested earlier. Stand the disc vertically and allow it to dry.
Window cleaners are also popular options. Put some of it on a cloth and clean the disc. Let the disc dry before putting it back in the jewel case.
Some users also clean the discs with car auto polish. These have been proven to work. However there are now specialized CD disc dirt removers which you can buy in the market. Always follow the directions when using any of these products.
Tips and Warnings
For CD players, cleaning once a month should be just about right. Cleaning too often particularly with the liquid solution might damage it. The discs themselves need to be checked regularly.
If you’re cleaning a CD always look for any scratches. If there are some, try applying some toothpaste. This may get rid of the scratch.
Consider buying protective coating for the discs. These products consist of special solutions you apply on the CD surface. These can protect the discs from scratches and prolong their life as well.
Back up all your important discs. Even when they’re working, having duplicate copies is important. You might lose the CD or accidentally break it. By having a backup copy the data will still be there.
Finally, you should always return the discs in their jewel case. This will keep dirt exposure as low as possible. By taking these steps for cleaning a CD, you can be assured that they’ll keep running smoothly for a long time.
