Your CDs have the potential to live a long, lustrous life. Take care of them, and they'll take care of you. You'll have years of listening enjoyment by exercising proper care and maintenance.
Create an environment for your CDs. Show that you care for them by handling and storing them correctly. Follow these simple tips to keep your CDs in top condition:
Always handle and pick up discs by the outer edge or center hole. Never touch the disc surface!
Store CDs individually in CD jewel cases. Store them upright, not flat.
The best environment for CD storage is cool, dry, dark and clean. A temperature of 39-68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for long-term storage.
Return the disc to its case immediately after playing.
Don't stack CDs out of their cases. They can scratch one another.
If you have to lay a disc down, always face it shiny side up. This way, you won't risk scratching or soiling the side that the CD player reads.
Do your best to avoid spilling, smudging or otherwise soiling your CD. Even the tiniest smudge or speck of dust can affect its ability to play correctly.
Never bend CDs. Although they're flexible, they're not unbreakable. Any bowing of the CD can affect play.
Use a non-solvent based CD writing pen to mark the label side of a homemade CD. Don't use adhesive labels.
Never expose your CDs to bright sunlight or extreme heat. If you keep CDs in your vehicle, protect them in the summertime. One way is to store the CD book under the seat and/or cover it with a towel.
Avoid eating, drinking and smoking around open CDs. The best way to prevent damage is not to invite it.
If a CD becomes soiled or damaged, here are some tips to repair surface flaws, from minor smudges to deeper scratches:
To clean smudges, dust and other minor blemishes, use a clean, damp piece of cotton fabric (old Hanes t-shirts work great) and rub in a straight line from the center outward. Do NOT rub in a circular motion. Do not use a dry cloth, it may scratch the surface.
To clean more stubborn grime, use rubbing alcohol or a special CD cleaning solution. Dry with a lint-free cloth.
If your CD has some scratches, all is not lost. There are a few methods that may help fix them. Keep in mind that scratches perpendicular to the CD (line from the inner hole to the edge) are easier to repair than parallel scratches which run with the data tracks.
To remove minor scratches, use a mild abrasive such as toothpaste or silver polish. Rub the CD in a straight line from the center outward. Use water or rubbing alcohol to remove the excess abrasive, then dry with a lint-free cloth.
For deeper scratches, or if an abrasive is ineffective, try filling them with wax. Regular car wax will work fine. Apply the wax over the entire CD and buff with a lint-free cloth, rubbing in a straight line from the center outward. Buff until the CD shines like new. The scratches should be filled by the wax, and the CD should play fine.
