How to fix a scratched CD or DVD. (2024)

FAQs

How to fix a scratched CD or DVD.? ›

Simply squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto a soft cloth, and gently rub it into the scratch in a circular motion. Make sure to use non-abrasive toothpaste, such as baking soda toothpaste, and rinse the disc thoroughly with water when you're done.

Way 6: Use Magic Eraser

You can wet the magic eraser, and then rub over the reflective surface with the dry magic eraser lightly. Some disc scratches can be smoothed without affecting the underneath data. What's more, you can use magic eraser to clean the surface of your phone, computer and other objects.

Polish the game disc and fill in small scratches using oil-based substances like toothpaste, petroleum jelly, carnauba car wax, or banana. Use a disc scratch-repair machine to fix deeper scratches, or pay for your disc to be resurfaced professionally to ensure it is preserved correctly.

Would toothpaste cleaning work on a DVD? Yes, the same things work on CDs and DVDs.

If the scratch is on the top, shiny part of the disc, the disc is not repairable and all the data is lost. If the scratch is on the bottom, plastic part of the disc, you may be able to repair the disc by resurfacing and polishing it. Today, some disc manufacturers are developing scratch-resistant discs.

Windex will work fine but it must be sparingly. spray it on a micro-fiber cloth and wipe from center to outer edge of the disc. Do NOT wipe in a circular direction.

Clean the disc and check for damage: Clean any dust or smudges from the disc with filtered water and a lint free cloth. If there is significant damage to the playing surface, replace the disc. Test several different disc types: Load CDs and DVDs that are known to work in other disc players.

Apply a very thin coat of Vaseline, chap-stick, liquid car wax, neutral shoe polish, or furniture wax to the CD's playing surface. Let the wax sit in the scratches for a few minutes—remember, the idea is for the wax to fill in the scratch so it can be read again. Wipe away the excess wax.

To fix a disc and get it playable again, you need some solution to fill in the small surface scratches. A store bought scratch-filler will definitely do the job, but you can also turn to things like peanut oil and baking soda to do the same thing.

How to fix scratched DVDs at home? ›

Simply apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to a soft cloth, and gently rub it into the scratch in a circular motion. The oils from the petroleum jelly will help to fill in the scratch and restore the disc's reflectivity. Make sure to rinse the disc thoroughly with water when you're done.

Yes, toothpaste can remove minor paint scratches. Here's how it works. A standard toothpaste (not a gel toothpaste) has a minor grit to it which helps buff out the scratches. Typically, minor scratches are only on the clear coat over your actual paint.

If scratches are deep enough to damage the data or metal layers on the reading side of a disc, the data cannot be read or repaired.

First get you CD and smear the toothpaste on the scratched surface (NOT TOO MUCH, ONLY ENOUGH). Then rub it around a little with your finger in an up and down motion, NOT A CIRCULAR MOTION, IT WILL RUIN THE CODING. Lastly, rinse it off with warm water in an up and down motion. And Voila!