Dampen a soft, clean cloth with a solution that is 50 percent rubbing alcohol and 50 percent water. The less abrasive the cloth, the less likely it is to scratch the DVD while cleaning it. Wipe the surface of the damaged DVD. Doing so will remove any substances that are inhibiting playback of the DVD. When finished, allow the damaged DVD to air dry. Then test the DVD in a DVD player or computer. If the disc works, be sure to make a backup copy of the DVD in case further wear and tear renders the DVD permanently unreadable. If this solution does not work, try this step again using undiluted rubbing alcohol.
Spray furniture polish onto the damaged DVD. Then take a soft, clean cloth and rub the polish into the surface of the DVD (the less abrasive the cloth, the less it will scratch the DVD while cleaning it). This will polish the read/write surface of the DVD and allow a DVD or computer to have an easier time reading the damaged DVD. Test the DVD in a DVD player or computer when finished polishing. If the disc works, be sure to make a backup copy of the DVD in case further wear and tear renders the DVD permanently unreadable.
Squirt toothpaste on a soft, clean cloth and rub the toothpaste onto the scratched surface of the damaged DVD (the less abrasive the cloth, the less it will scratch the DVD while cleaning it). Do so in a circular motion following the overall shape of the disc. While rubbing, the fine texture of the toothpaste will wear away the scratches on the damaged DVD. When finished, clean the disc following the directions in Step 1 and then test it in a DVD player or computer. If the disc works, be sure to make a backup copy of the DVD in case further wear and tear renders the DVD permanently unreadable.