When CDs were originally hailed as the successor to the vinyl LP record album, one of their big selling points was that they weren't subject to the pops and clicks that resulted from scratches like records were. As it turned out, CDs were vulnerable, too. Scratches on a CD surface can result in skipping so severe that it can render a disc almost unplayable. Unlike vinyl, however, CD scratches can often be repaired.
Instructions
1. Clean the CD by running warm water over the disc's surface. Add a little mild detergent or rubbing alcohol, and gently rub to remove any dirt from the disc. Be sure to rub from the center of the disc out to the edges; wiping in a circular motion will probably worsen the condition rather than improve it.
2. Rinse the disc with more warm water and let it air dry. It's a good idea to try playing the disc at this point. Sometimes just cleaning a disc may be all that it needs to play correctly.
3. Hold the CD to a light so that you can see where the scratches are, and using a lint-free cloth, apply a small amount of metal polish, like Brasso, and rub onto the scratched area of the CD. Again, make sure that you work from the center and work out to the edges. Do this for several minutes, because in effect, you are using the abrasives in the cleaner to polish the surface of the CD.
Try to keep the cleaner in the vicinity of the scratch, and make sure you remove excess cleaner with a soft, dry cloth.
4. Leave the CD to dry, and then try playing it in several different CD players. CD players are sensitive machines, and sometimes a disc will play flawlessly in one player, but skip wildly in another. If the CD is still defective, you can always try repeating the process, but if you still have no luck, it may be time to either throw in the towel, or take it to a business with access to professional repair machines. It may cost you a couple of dollars, but if the recording is important enough to you, it may be worth it.
5. Make a resolution to take better care of your CDs. Do not leave them lying around without cases or sleeves. Doing this subjects them to significant abuse, and it's only a matter of time before the fingerprints, dirt and scratches take their toll.
Tags: from center, make sure, warm water