How to Fixed Scratched DVDs

When you have a CD or DVD that has become so scratched that it no longer seems to work as it should, then scratching may be the source of your problem. Scratches can cause the DVD to pause or skip while playing and make it difficult to watch your programs. There are some scratches that may be noticeable to the naked eye but may not impact the quality of the DVD. The best way to determine whether or not the disc has been compromised is to put it in your DVD or Blu-Ray player for testing.

The good news is, while these scratches can be frustrating, they can be fixed, and you don’t have to get rid of your DVD entirely. There are a number of everyday home products that can actually safely remove scratches from CDs and DVDs. Essentially, the goal is to fill in the scratches on the DVD with a transparent substance or buff out the scratch. Either way, it won’t impact the quality of the data being played, it will simply allow the laser to pass through the DVD and reach the data.

Here are a few different household solutions you can use in order to safely clean your DVDs.

Using Toothpaste

Toothpaste is actually a great way to use household products to clean scratches off of DVDs. Make sure to use standard white toothpaste. Here’s how it‘s done:

1. Clean the disc with mild soap and warm water to remove any oils from the DVD.
2. Take a dry, lint-free cloth and buff the DVD dry.
3. Squeeze the toothpaste onto the disc.
4. Start in the center and rub the toothpaste onto the disc in a straight motion from the center toward the outer edges. Do not rub in a circular motion.
5. Rinse off the toothpaste with warm water and dry the disc with a lint-free cloth.

Once the DVD is dry, attempt to play it in the DVD player to see if the skips have subsided.

Use a Jewelry Cloth to Buff Away Scratches

There are specialty clothes known as jeweler’s rogues or rogue clothes. You can also find the specialty clothes used for sunglasses and regular glasses on lenses. These can all help buff away minor DVD scratches. In a few simple steps:

1. Hold the DVD in one hand with the scratched side up
2. Start slowly rubbing from the center of the DVD towards the outsides, not in circular motions
3. Do this along the entire radius of the disc and repeat until the scratches appear to have subsided

This method is best used for DVDs that have minimal scratches as it won’t fill any large gouges or large, deep scratches.

Buff With Vaseline

Vaseline is a household product that can work to remove scratches from DVDs. The idea is that the Vaseline fills in the scratches and minimizes their reflectivity. Here’s how to use it:

1. Take standard Vaseline and start rubbing it into the surface of the scratched DVD. This is one product where you can rub in circular motions.
2. Be careful to cover the entire DVD but to not rub the Vaseline on too thick.
3. Once the DVD is covered, use a soft, lint-free cloth with alcohol on it to remove the Vaseline—you will need to break up the Vaseline so it only stays in the cracks.
4. Clean by wiping from top to bottom to make sure there are no smudges and there is no residue left behind.

You will notice following the cleaning that most of the scratches will look completely filled.

Using Household Cleaners

There are some household cleaners that can work to remove DVD scratches. With these cleaners, simply apply, or spray directly to the DVD and clean in small wiping motions until the surface looks clean and the scratches have diminished make sure to remove all of the leftover residues from the cleaner before using.

The following cleaners work best:

• Windex or glass cleaner
• Clean Magic Eraser pads
• Furniture polish
• Metal polish
• Eyeglass cleaner

Foods That Remove DVD Scratches

There are actually foods that you may have lying around your pantry that can help with your DVD scratches. When using the following food items, simply smear the food directly over the DVD disc and wipe it clean with a lint-free cloth. You can use this method with: peanut oil, peanut butter, or baking soda.

You can also use a banana to help remove scratches. Unpeel the banana and apply it directly to the surface of the DVD in circular motions, so the banana is buffed into the DVD. Then take the peel and rub the DVD, again in circular motions. Once this is done, clean off the DVD using your clean cloth and the scratches should be gone.