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How to Use Car Polish to Fix CD Scratches

Try this process before throwing away a CD that's scratched and skips when you try to play it. If the scratch is too deep and goes through the plastic to the foil layer, nothing will restore it. Most scratches are merely surface scratches and can be repaired with very little effort and a little bit of the same polish you use to shine your car. Polishing a CD should, however, be a last resort as polishing can cause more damage to the disk if extreme care is not taken.

Things You'll Need

  • Mild dishwashing detergent
  • Two soft lint-free cloths
  • Fine grit automobile polish
  • CD player
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Instructions

  1. How to Use Car Polish to Fix CD Scratches

    • 1

      Clean the disc with mild dishwashing detergent and water to remove surface dirt and grease. Wipe the disc dry with a soft lint-free cloth. Always wipe around the disc, not across the surface from the center out.

    • 2

      Insert the disc into a CD player. If the CD plays, you've solved the problem. If the initial cleaning did not fix the problem, a repair is needed.

    • 3

      Dampen a lint-free cloth and wring out all excess water. Place a small amount of fine grit car polish on the cloth. Cover the shiny side of the CD with a light coating of polish. Allow the polish to dry until the disc is covered with a fine white film.

    • 4

      Polish the disc with a dry cloth, buffing in small circular strokes working around the disc from the center to the outside edge.

    • 5

      Clean and polish the label side of the disk to remove static electricity and any other contaminants that may be present. Apply a very thin coat of car paste wax to the data side of the disk and buff with a soft cloth until the disk is polished to a uniform mirror finish.

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