Spring Cleaning? Don't Forget Your Machines and Discs!

[SavageAmusement]

Quick Tips for Cleaning a DVD


The pros and video-philes will tell you that you need to wipe a DVD in a straight line from the center of the disc to the outside edge of a disc because DVD lasers are lead astray more often by a circular scratch or a scratch that follows the path of the laser than by a straight scratch, perpindicular to the path of the laser. Also, never use a paper towel or any paper product to clean your DVDs because these products often have pieces of dirt and particles that will scratch the surface of the DVD.


Microfiber cloths are a quick way to clean a DVD. These are the same kind of cloths people use to clean eyeglasses, monitors, and laptop or LCD monitors. Because of microfiber’s very tight weave and the synthetic materials used to make microfiber, dust and particles of dirt are attracted and lifted up into the microfiber, which prevents you from simply spreading the dust around and scratching the DVD further. Every serious DVD collector should have one of these and wash it regularly.
Rubbing Alcohol is used to clean DVDs and just about every sensitive piece of technology out there because it doesn’t act like strong solvents do, and it evaporates quickly without leaving a residue. Usually a 1:1 mixture of 90%+ Isopropyl alcohol and water will do the trick. Simply dab a small, clean cotton cloth into the mixture and wipe in straight lines from the center of the DVD to the outside edge. To dry the DVD, just let it sit for a moment or two in a vertical position.

Window Cleaner, like rubbing alcohol, is a great way to clean sticky residues and dirt off of a DVD. This isn't a very "organic solution" but it works. Like rubbing alcohol, window cleaner is not a very strong solvent, and it evaporates quickly without leaving residue as well. Instead of spraying the DVD, spray a little bit onto a soft, cotton cloth and wipe from the center of the DVD to the outside edge—leaving it to dry by propping it up in a vertical position for a few minutes.

Check the DVD for deep scratches by holding it up to a bright lamp. If you can see light through the scratch, this means you’ve actually damaged the layers of data protected by the clear plastic. If this is the case, then it is perhaps time to find yourself a new copy of the DVD, or if it will play, then copy the DVD yourself using something like DVD Shrink to compress and burn the contents of your disc to a DVD-R or DVD+R to prevent skipping.

If you have minor scratches that are interfering with your movie watching, you can always use toothpaste to polish them out. Toothpaste is a natural abrasive; that’s how it cleans your teeth, and it will do the same for a DVD. Avoid extra-whitening formulas. Just dab a little bit of Crest or Colgate on that DVD, mix it with a little water and with either your finger or a small piece of cloth, buff those scratches away. But be careful not to over to it. DVDs aren’t as resilient as your teeth



Quick Tips for Cleaning a DVD Player


First things first, before you start cleaning your DVD player, remember to turn it off and unplug the machine from the television. Move it to a more suitable working environment, like a table or a desk.

Cleaning the Exterior: The exterior of the DVD player can be cleaned with simple household items, like rubbing alcohol and seltzer water. Use a cotton, lint free cloth or a cotton swab and apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to it. Gently rub the exterior of the player. While alcohol has the advantage of evaporating quickly, seltzer water has an increased cleansing action due to the carbonation it contains. Use the cloth to clean the player's vent areas, where dust might have accumulated. Avoid a duster, as it might just end up pushing the dust further inside. Cleaning the vents of the DVD player is of utmost importance, as heat dissipating from the inside of your DVD player might not be allowed to escape, causing it to overheat. You could also clean the vent by using a can of compressed air. It can be softly sprayed into the vent, to clear out the dust build up.

Cleaning the Interior: When your DVD does not load, or skips, and you note a deterioration in the audio or video signals, it may indicate the fact, that you need to clean the interior of your DVD player. This usually entails the cleaning of the lens of your player, which can ensure that the disc is being read properly. The easiest, most hassle free way of doing this, is by buying a lens cleaning disc. These DVD cleaning discs are easily available in the market and are often recommended as the first troubleshooting method, when you are trying to repair a DVD player, that is having difficulty reading discs. They contain bristles, situated on top of the disc, so that when the disc is inserted into the player, the disc begins to spin and the raised bristles on it dust the lens. Once the cleaning cycle of the cleaning discs is complete, the lens should be clean.

If you want to clean the DVD player thoroughly, you need to dismantle the player and clean the insides by hand. For doing this, you need to turn the machine over and look at the seams for finding the screws and the tape, that holds the case together. Remove the screws and lift up the tape, to expose the insides of the player. Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to clean all the surfaces, except for the bright green circuit boards. Use a can of compressed air, to flush out the dirt from hard to reach places. Remember while doing this, to not tilt, shake, or hold the can upside down, as the liquid nitrogen that comes out can damage your electronics and your skin! Once the alcohol is dry, reassemble your DVD player.

Cleaning your DVD player every four to six weeks ensures that your DVD player keeps running like new, for longer than you thought possible. There are also a host of commercial DVD cleaning kits available, which assist in cleaning DVD players while being easy on your pockets.