Washing your CD’s 🧽🫧💿
In this video, record collector Paulo Leite shares his method for cleaning dirty, used CDs and their jewel cases to ensure they are spotless and safe for his equipment.
Why it matters: Cleaning prevents dust, grime, and mold from damaging your CD player's optical pickup lens.
Is it safe?: Yes. It is generally safe to wash a standard commercial CD under running tap water with a very small amount of plain (Dawn) dish soap, provided you use the right technique.
✅The safest method:
1. Use lukewarm or cool water, not hot.
2. Put one small drop of Dawn on clean fingertips or dilute it in water first.
3. Clean the disc from the center hole straight outward to the edge. Do not scrub in circles around the disc.
4. Rinse thoroughly so no soap film remains.
5. Shake off excess water.
6. Dry with a clean, soft microfiber cloth, again wiping center to edge.
⛔️A few cautions:
-Do not use abrasive sponges, paper towels, tissues, or household cleaners.
-Do not soak the disc for an extended period.
-Avoid very strong water pressure directly at the disc edge.
-Be more cautious with CD-Rs, CD-RWs, homemade discs, or discs with damaged/peeling labels. The data layer on a CD is close to the label side, and moisture entering through edge damage can cause permanent harm.
-The label side is actually more vulnerable to deep scratches than the shiny reading side on a standard CD.
The main thing is to rinse completely and dry radially rather than in circles.
