Tips From The Top

Jackson Hole AV is Excited to introduce our Jackson Hole Home Theater tip. It’s inevitable, DVD’s get dirty, scratched and stop playing. And while wiping it down on your shirt might work, here are some other options that’ll work even better.

Rubbing Alcohol and Water

Mixing one part water and one part rubbing alcohol makes a very effective cleaning solution. The alcohol is not as strong as other solvents and evaporates quickly. Use a microfiber cloth and rub the solution onto your DVD. You can wipe in circles, starting from the inside working out. Or you can wipe the CD in straight lines starting in the center and going towards the outside edge, turning the disk as you clean. Let it air dry for a bit, and play the disk.

Window Cleaner

Another method is using window cleaner. Windex is one example. Many window cleaners contain a mixture of alcohol and water, making them very similar to our combination explained above. Repeat the steps mentioned above, this time using the window cleaner of your choice. Let it air dry as well.

Toothpaste

Yes, toothpaste. Just as it can polish your teeth, it can also polish your DVD’s! However, because it’s slightly abrasive, you have to be gentle when using it to polish out scratches. Also, avoid “Extra Whitening” types because these contain bleach. To begin, dab a bit of toothpaste (no bigger than a popcorn kernel) onto the disk along with a bit of water. Rub the toothpaste and water into the DVD with a clean finger or microfiber cloth. Buff away any scratches. Now clean the disk with a separate cloth and with clean water. Make sure to get all the toothpaste off before attempting to play the disk again.

Professionally

If your disk is permanently damaged, it may be time to recycle the DVD and buy a new one. Before that however, you may try taking it to have it professionally cleaned. Places such as Radioshack can do this. This process usually costs around 3 to 4 dollars.

Jackson Hole Audio Video / AV