How-to: Fix a Scratched Disk

In this guide I will tell you how you can fix a Disk that's been scratched without having to by the disk repair liquid at the store. Before you move on to fixing the scratches make sure the disk isn't just dirty or smudged with fingerprints. Cleaning the Disk should be the first thing you do before moving on. I have used the process below many times and while it wont work every single time it has a pretty good success rate.


How To Clean The Disk

1. Run Warm water over it the Disk
2. When you dry it off make sure to use a cloth that is soft and not likely to scratch it even more.
3. Very Gently run the cloth outwards. Starting in the Center then moving out. If you do it in a circle around the disk you'll just damage it more
4. Now try playing it. Many times this is all that needs to be dont and it will play fine. Make sure to do this before moving on to any other steps.
5. You can also try to burn a new disk on your computer. A lot of times a computer can read the disk well enough to burn it even though it wont play.

It still wont play, What now?

1. First locate the scratches. It's easiest to do this by looking at it under a light and moving it around a bit.
2. Remember in locating the scratches that track 1 is read closest to center of the disk. track 2 is located a little more out etc etc.
3. Now you can attempt to polish the Disk
4. The best thing to use for this is a baking soda based toothpaste. Apply a small amount of toothpaste to an old shirt(make sure it's clean) or cloth of some kind.
5. Gently rub the toothpaste on the CD. Make sure your doing it from the center outwards and not in a circular motion as this can cause even more scratching. Do this only to where you see visible scratches. Theres no need to do it to the whole cd and risk damaging it further.
6. Do this about ten or twelve times. If this doesn't work you can try the process again.
7. Remove the toothpaste from the CD using warm water and a cloth. Be careful not to apply much pressure on any of these steps to avoid further scratching.
8. Once it's rinsed off and dried try playing the Disk.

Further Tip's

You can also use peanut butter, Metal polish or commercial disk repair fluid for this.
You can also try holding the diosk under a lamp for a about 30 seconds then try putting it in your computer. This can buy you time to burn the CD if you couldn't before. Once again make sure your very gentle when wiping anything on or off the CD or you will damage it even further. If these steps dont help you then your only other option is to buy a new cd or get some commercial grade disk scratch remover.