Can you fix a scratched CD with common household items?

[NuclearNed]

I bought a game at WalMart tonight, and when I got home the cd was scratched and unreadable. I will probably exchange the disc tomorrow, but I would still like to play tonight. Does anybody have any hints/tricks about how to buff out the scratches with common household things? Or any way to get the disc to read in either a dvd or cd drive? Thanks.

 

[Eli]

Dish soap will help a little, if they're not deep gauges.. but I wouldn't do anything to the disc if you plan on returning it.

 

[hevnsnt]

toothpaste is great for repairing minor cd scratches

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
toothpaste is great for repairing minor cd scratches

Remember that all toothpastes aren't created equal. Some have abrasives in them. Careful.

 

[rudeguy]

clear nail polish

EDIT: IM lordjezo if you dont have any handy

 

[NuclearNed]

Ok - about the toothpaste and dish soap, what do you do, just rub it lightly with a soft cloth?

I don't want to try the nail polish because I intend to exchange the disc.

Thanks for all the replies, guys.

 

[hevnsnt]

Actually acording to this site: http://www.burningissues.net/how_to/scratchrepair/scratchrepair.htm

toothpaste doesnt work.. (sorry never tried it, just heard about it)

They suggest using:
Brasso Metal Polish
Rubbing Compound
Comet Cleanser

 

[Shockwave]

Touthpaste farked mine up badly, but I have some Crest with blue crystals in it. I;d look for a generic toothpaste, as most likely its going to be the best. Not sure though.
I've always wondered how well jewelry polishing compound would work........

 

[DaWhim]

microwave

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
Actually acording to this site: http://www.burningissues.net/how_to/scratchrepair/scratchrepair.htm

toothpaste doesnt work.. (sorry never tried it, just heard about it)

They suggest using:
Brasso Metal Polish
Rubbing Compound
Comet Cleanser

Heh.

The best would technically be some polish meant for plastics.

 

[hevnsnt]

http://www.google.com/search?q=toothpaste+cd+repair&sourceid=firefox&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
for your own research, I am playing this instead of working or reading up for you..

 

[BDawg]

You can with some of my household products. I would use Vanilla Moose on it.

 

[NuclearNed]

Ok - one of the links above said to use Brasso metal polish. I don't have Brasso, but instead I am trying Wright's Silver Cream (for polishing silver). I'll let you know the results once I finish testing.

 

[NuclearNed]

So far so good. The disc has already read past the point where it bombed out earlier. Keeping my fingers crossed...

 

[hevnsnt]

good deal!

 

[NuclearNed]

Ok - so the disc finally bombed. However (hope!), the wife just told me we have some Wright's Brass Polish downstairs. I've tried three applications as the web site suggested, and now I'm trying to load it again. I'll keep you posted.

 

[NuclearNed]

***JOY!***

Wright's Brass Polish works! The disc loaded just fine. I had to apply it about six times (one of the scratches was really deep) and I had to rub the disc like crazy. Now I get to play! And I'm really really high from the brass polish. What a great night.

I love you guys.

 

[DrPizza]

okay..... now I have to bookmark this thread for when I have to repair CD's.

 

[NuclearNed]

Bump for the morning crowd, with a little more explanation on how I did it.

I placed the disc on a flat surface and put a little Wright's Brass Polish directly on the deep scratches and rubbed it in small circular motions with a soft cloth (an old t-shirt). I got pretty brave and rubbed the disc really hard. Then I rinsed off the brass polish with water, per the polish's instructions. Then I gently blotted it dry with another soft cloth (another old t-shirt). I had to repeat this about six times to get out the worst scratches. Even then, the worst scratches were still slightly visible. Also, this process leaves fine circular patterns on the disc. It definitely looks like it has been buffed.

The disc now reads normally, with no apparent problems. Just to be safe, I think I may burn off a copy.

 

[Yanagi]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
toothpaste is great for repairing minor cd scratches

Have worked fine for me in the past

 

[Triumph]

I'm going to try some auto polish on my scratched CD's sometime. I bet it'll work, it isn't as abbrasive as toothpaste.

 

[maziwanka]

does that site really recommend comet cleanser? i thought that stuff is really abrasive? maybe im wrong?

 

[NuclearNed]

Originally posted by: maziwanka
does that site really recommend comet cleanser? i thought that stuff is really abrasive? maybe im wrong?

I don't recall seeing Comet on the site - you're right, it seems like it would be too abrasive. Brass polish works great, though.