# Best Way to Clean a DVD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951 "2006-05-31T23:52:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/1 "2006-05-31T23:52:26Z")
What is the best way to clean the surface of a DVD to assure one will not damage it? I know one should clean in a radial path (i.e. along the radius), but what cleaning fluid, if any, should be used? And, what type of cloth is best? Never had much need to clean a CD or DVD until now…and I don’t want to scratch the playing surface. Thanks, Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/2 "2006-06-01T00:41:53Z")
You can remove scratches from a DVD with toothpaste. I’ve tried it 4 times now and it worked for 3 of those. > **[MacGyver Tip: Fix scratched CDs with toothpaste](https://lifehacker.com/macgyver-tip-fix-scratched-cds-with-toothpaste-155741)** > > If you've ever owned a CD or DVD, you've certainly had to deal with scratched up, unreadable media. Hardware Secrets has a simple solution: ---
**Author:** ![wheelie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b4bc9f/32.png) [@wheelie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheelie)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/3 "2006-06-01T01:35:29Z")
I’ve had excellent results with [Plexus](http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/plexus.html). Been using it for years. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/4 "2006-06-01T01:43:06Z")
Water for mildly dirty, Windex for more soiled. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/5 "2006-06-01T03:02:04Z")
Once we started checking out movies from the library, we had to come up with a procedure using rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball. Step one: Soak cotton ball in rubbing alcohol. Step two: Holding DVD reflective-side up, swab gently with cotton ball in a back-and-forth motion from the center to the rim. Do not swab the disk in a circular motion. Do this very lightly at first. Step three: Dry, gently, using a paper towel. Again, you don’t have to rub it hard to be effective (insert penis joke here). The first couple times, we had to stop the movie to swab down the disk, and it was amazing how sequences that were extremely pixilated were restored. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/6 "2006-06-01T13:37:29Z")
There’s two different problems your trying to fix here, dirty discs and scratched discs. Dirty discs don’t play because there is something on the surface of the disc interfering with the laser like fingerprints, dust, etc. Alcohol and cottonballs work fine for this. Scratched discs don’t play because the laser can’t focus correctly through a scratch in the discs surface. These can be filled with something like car wax. Apply, let dry, buff. And as otheres have stated, center to edge. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/7 "2006-06-01T14:51:32Z")
> [@pesch](#): > > Step three: Dry, gently, using a paper towel. Again, you don’t have to rub it hard to be effective. FYI Paper towels are mildly abrasive. Use lintless “Kleenex” tissues gently. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/8 "2006-09-29T01:33:20Z")
I greatly appreciate everyone’s responses. Sorry for the slow reply from me. I will try these cautiously - experimenting with a disk I can afford to spare. - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/9 "2006-09-29T01:53:54Z")
[QUOTE=KlondikeGeoff] Water for mildly dirty, Windex for more soiled. [/QUOTE] Recipe for homemade Windex (the same formula, minus the blue dye, and 1/10 the cost): 1/2 cup household ammonia 1/8 cup white vinegar water to make: 1 quart It probably should be distilled water, but I use filtered. This formula works even better than commercial Windex, as the blue dye leaves a residue that can build up after repeated use. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-a-dvd/358951/10 "2006-09-29T01:56:48Z")
[QUOTE=spingears] FYI Paper towels are mildly abrasive. [/QUOTE] Which can be a good thing. After cleaning my plastic glasses with paper towels for 20 years, I have yet to see any scratches from them.