The Daily Insight.

Connected.Informed.Engaged.

general

Can you clean a CD with isopropyl alcohol?

By Robert Guerrero |

Can you clean a CD with isopropyl alcohol?

A compact disc can become dirty because of dust or other grime. It’s important to use care when cleaning CDs so you don’t damage them. Rubbing alcohol will effectively clean a CD without causing damage.

How do you clean dirty CDs?

Use a clean, soft cloth and wipe the CD from center to rim. Apply a small amount of toothpaste, baking soda mixture or Brasso, using only one cleanser at a time. Gently rub from center to rim only on the scratch itself with the cleanser. Rinse off the toothpaste or baking soda mixture.

What can you use to clean a CD disk?

A chamois or foam cleaning disc and cleaning solution work to clean the CD without damaging it. You can make your own cleaning solution using a solution of distilled water and dish detergent. The ideal ratio is about one quart of distilled water to one drop of mild dish detergent.

Can you clean CDs with vinegar?

Hold the DVD, Blu-ray Disc, or CD by the edges or by placing your finger through the center hole. Wipe the disc with a cloth that has been dampened with white vinegar. The acetic acid in vinegar cuts through the oils left behind by your fingers, as well as any other dirt and grime that might be on the disc.

Can you wash CDs with soap and water?

Wipe across the disc rather than in a circular motion, which can cause microscratches and damage the data stored on the disc. If that doesn’t do the job, dampen the cloth with a gentle soap-and-water solution and rewipe. Never use household cleaners, abrasives or solvents on CDs or DVDs.

Can you clean a CD with hand sanitizer?

General rule is, if it’s safe for your eyeglasses, it’s perfectly safe for a disc. You can clean them with eyeglass cleaner, water, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, even liquid dish soap, but *make sure you clean them with a liquid*. You can even rinse them under the tap if you must.

Can you clean CDs with baby wipes?

Can you clean CDs with alcohol wipes?

Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol should be all you need for a clean CD. Mix up a 1 to 1 solution of 90% isopropyl rubbing alcohol and distilled water (tap or spring water will have minerals in it that can leave water spots). Dip a corner of your cloth into the mixture and gently wipe the CD.

Can you use hand sanitizer to clean a disc?

Can you get CDs wet?

If the disc has experienced no permanent damage from absorption of the liquid, it should play normally. In NIST tests, a CD totally submerged in clean water for 24 hours was found to be unreadable initially after removal and surface drying.