There's nothing worse than popping in a movie or a game and experiencing the weird skipping and stopping that comes with a dirty disk. Before tossing your DVD, game or old CD, give your disk a good cleaning. Disk cleaners remove finger prints and dust (and that weird orange stuff your neighbor got on it), saving you money.
Cleaning Materials
Motorized disc cleaners are one option for getting your disks clean. You place the disc in and let it do the scrubbing, via some cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth. Motorized cleaners don't repair scratches and cheap ones are ineffective at removing more than a thin layer of dust, leaving you with an expensive paper weight. On the other hand, they can be worthwhile if you find yourself frequently cleaning smudges left by little hands.
Hand cleaning is another option, using a special cleaning solution. Here, you put the cleaning solution on a soft cloth, and gently rub the disc. Some disc cleaning solutions can also repair disks, filling in little scratches and restoring the playability of the disk. You should start at the center and work outward, never cleaning in a circular motion or following the grooves of the disc. You should also never wet the disc directly. Air drying is preferable, though you can use another microfiber cloth for drying.
At-Home Alternatives
There are a few aroundpurpose cleansers like Windex should not be used for cleaning discs.
