What is the best way to remove residue from a CD?

Hello everyone,

First things first, I apologize for going over a subject that seems to have been covered at least a few times before, and I apologize if I'm posting this in the wrong location, but I'm hoping to get some fresh ideas on this subject.

For starters, I picked up a new copy of the Merzbow "Merzbox" a while back. The (52) discs in the set are housed inside of one of those small CD binders which used to be all the rage ages ago: plastic sleeves with a felt-like covering to protect the play surface of the disc. Unfortunately, twenty (or so) years of being stored in those sleeves without being removed seemed to have the unintended effect of causing the discs to stick to the sleeves (one of them had not only adhered, but was actually cracked when I went to remove it -- thankfully, the label still had replacement copies of that disc). Most of the discs seem okay with just a cleaning, but with some of them, it seems like there are lingering particulates I can't seem to remove, like perhaps whatever is used as a protective layer in the sleeves found a more suitable home on the discs themselves. I don't *think* this is a matter of something causing pitting on the play side, mainly because I can feel the texture of the particulates (obviously, that doesn't completely eliminate the possibility).

Now, since I've never encountered a problem quite like this, following a few threads I've found here, I've tried using both alcohol and naphtha (separately) on the broken (guinea pig) disc (I figured it was a safer test subject), and...even when letting said liquids sit on the surface until evaporating, it just doesn't seem to pull this stuff. On the other hand, I've tried using some 'plastic polish' (I think it is called Novus - the bottles aren't handy at the moment) on one of the sections, and it did the trick, but at the expense (obviously, since it is a destructive process) of leaving a streaky finish.

I'd really rather not use any destructive 'cleaning' processes on the unbroken discs, so...does anybody have any other suggestions, short of using abrasives?

Thanks in advance.

 

No kidding, but I have removed scratches with peanut butter. Just a little bit and buff with a lotion free tissue.

 

Hopefully not Skippy!

 

Works in a Jif, too!

 

Give it a rub down with a soapy rag. It’ll come up as good as new, guaranteed.

 

Thanks for the feedback thus far. As far as the peanut butter goes, as I initially said, I'd like to avoid abrasives if I can, mainly because I'm not convinced that these are 'scratches'. I'll have to give the soapy rag recommendation a try.

 

Soap is an abrasive...just sayin.

 

That's a fair point, but doesn't it actually depend on the type of soap used? As I understand it, many dish soaps don't use abrasives, but a strictly chemical process.

 

I clean all the used discs that I buy.

- First rinse with warm tap water to remove any dust or loose dirt.
- Mix some water and dish detergent. Rub on with a CD cleaning wipe (think I got them off Amazon, they are disposable single use). Rub of course from centre to outer edge of disc.
- Rinse off detergent with warm water.
- Pat dry in between two microfiber cloths.

Works for me, but I doubt I ever had residue as challenging as what you have. Most of the used discs I buy are already in excellent condition, and many probably don't even need a cleaning. It's just some form of OCD that makes me need to clean each one.

 

Just to be clear, the soapy rag comment was a gag. It should be obvious that this is terrible advice.

 

Window Cleaner. That's what I use. A spray of that and a rub with a lint free cloth. If it's a glue on there, then you need something like Goo Gone, which I've used for more than 30 years.

Don't forget the golden rule - the playing side (without the label) can withstand quite a beating. Scratches, generally, don't affect play. However, if you're cleaning the label side, be VERY careful. The protection there is much less, and you can relatively easily damage the playing substrate.

Other than that - you should be good.

 

Glad to know it is safe to use Goo Gone on CDs. I have not used it because I was afraid it would cause damage somehow.

 

I use the same cleaners I use on my vinyl records to remove residue off of CDs. My thinking is that if it's safe for vinyl, it should be safe for the polycarbonate layer on a CD.

 

Toothpaste is my "go to" fine abrasive for recovering CD/DVD/Blu-Rays. Crest regular e.g. Use a clean thumb/finger to work it around. Add patience. Sometimes you need an abrasive.

 

Before trying any chemicals, I would try distilled water, using a very soft cloth.

 

Good luck. IME once that felt stuff sticks to the playing surface of a CD, it tears off parts of the polycarbonate and the layer underneath, causing pitting. It can be a microscopic dot of the felt material, and the CD is essentially destroyed because you end up with pitting that causes unrecoverable errors. I had that happen with a few discs stored in such binders, which is why I stopped using them.

Too bad this happened to such a fancy boxset.

IME dish soap used in tiny amounts on the playing surface of the CD does not damage them. Same deal with eyeglass wipes, though I don't think they'd be effective for your problem.

Some CDs, like certain UK Nimbus types, do not like water or any cleaning susbstance. I don't think that's what you're dealing with here though.

 

Plexus

 

Cd Saver Hobby Rajada Polidora De Dvd 110v - R$ 270

 

I have used WD 40 to remove rubber cement type glue residue from some of the CD's from my Govt Mule Georgia Bootleg box set. The carboard sleeves the CD's came in left blobs of adhesive on the CD's.

I sprayed WD40 on a paper towel and cleaned off the adhesive and then washed with Dawn dish soap to remove the greasy WD40.

It works great and doe not harm the CD's.

One tip I learned the hard way is do not use the "Goof Off" solvent product which advertises to be uses to remove glue / adhesive as this will eat into the CD and ruin them.

Not sure it will solve you problem but worth a try.

 

Reading some of the bonkers "solutions" will be good for a laugh- how about put in the dishwasher? There are so many crazies out there...

 

Thank you to everyone who has offered suggestions thus far, especially since you've given me a few more things to consider. To comment briefly on some of the suggestions for mild abrasives like toothpaste and such, I'm trying to avoid going that route if possible, partly because it could prove to be a costly mistake, but also, I've had mixed results in the past. Many moons ago, my copy of The Doors' In Concert had a small scuff around the five-minute mark during the final track on disc two (a version of "The End" - I specifically remember it used to start skipping around the time Jim would start singing "don't let me die in an automobile", or something like that). I tried using toothpaste on it at the time, and it didn't help. Some time later, I bought a hand-crank resurfacing kit, and it buffed out the scuff and rendered the disc fully playable, but at the expense of leaving the bottom looking streaky and ugly (though, as Vaughan noted, damage on the playing side is generally less critical than damage on the label side, since the reflective layer is *much* closer to that side).

As stated before, though, the 'terribleness' of this advice (from what I can determine) depends on both the abrasiveness of the soap and the rag - to wit, I tried a variant of Dream On's advice last night (albeit I substituted a lint-free cloth for the wipes, since I don't have those handy) on part of the broken disc, but unfortunately, it didn't seem to make a difference, yet it also didn't appear to leave any apparent abrasions.

That's unfortunately what I'm starting to think myself. One thing I am hoping, though, is that since the area of the broken disc I tested with Novus (which, from what I can see, seems to be at least superficially similar to Plexus, which JakeMcD recommended) seems to at least feel free of the particulates (though with the side effect of looking rather ugly -- I have no idea how a disc treated with stuff like Novus would actually *play*, as I've never tried it on a regular disc), that as a last resort, using some sort of abrasive solution (whether just spot-treating or running through a 'resurfacer') will bring the discs around, but obviously, I'd like to avoid taking that route if possible.

Thanks again, everyone. Any further suggestions are greatly appreciated, of course, and I find a solution that works, I'll offer my opinions here.

 

I also use this on the DVDs that had the sticky goo/cloudiness from the reaction to the the Scanvo thin clear cases years back...I still come across this crap on used product...

 

Power washer works good, here's a shot of me cleaning some residue off one in the driveway. Came right off... it did jettison down the drive and had to retrieve it though....

Remember - be sure to use a soft, lint free micro cloth to dry it though, you wouldn't want to damage it.

 

A winky would have been helpful. I misread your message as soapy dog. Needless to say, my Anastasia CD is well and truly wrecked

 

Soapy dog is probably the least-weird residue on your CDs.