Fix a Scratched CD/DVD

As careful as we may try to be, sometimes our CDs or DVDs end up getting scratched.  However, a scratch does not automatically mean that your disc has become an expensive coaster for your living room table.  There still may be ways to restore your disc to optimal condition.

Two quick notes:  first, it is important to understand that your best option is to not let your disc get scratched.  Any of these methods for repairing a scratch may help, but they also have the potential to hurt the disc.  Second, whenever possible, it is advisable to make a backup copy of your disc on your computer or on another disc.  Burning a backup copy of a disc is legal as long as it is only for personal use and it does not circumvent any digital rights protections built in.

Once a scratch does occur, the first step to take would be to clean the surface with a jewelry-polishing cloth.  These cloths are fairly inexpensive and available at most stores that sell jewelry.  This removes some of the dust and dirt that can accumulate in the scratches and eliminates other areas of the disc as the problem.  (You might find that the light scratch isn't the problem at all).  To avoid causing further damage, rub the disc from the center to the outside and back, not along a circular path.

If this does not work, you can use a variety of substances to try to fill in the scratch.  I have heard of people using car wax, furniture polish, petroleum jelly, and even banana to fill it in.  I would recommend the car wax personally, but you can choose whatever you have available.  Once again, always be sure to rub from the center to the outside of the disc, and make sure you give it plenty of time to dry (overnight would be best) and clean it thoroughly before putting it back in your DVD player.

If you can't find any substance that will repair the scratch, then it might be time to approach it from a different angle.  If you have a cheap or older player, find a friend with a new player that was reasonably expensive.  Technology is always improving, and it might have improved enough so that the latest players can read what your older device cannot.  This might have the lowest probability of success, but it is worth a shot if nothing else is working.  If it works on your friend's player, it might be time to upgrade yours.

Finally, when you have run out of options to do it yourself, turn to your local movie rental store.  Almost all of them have devices that will buff dics and remove the scratches.  Find a friendly-looking clerk, explain the situation, and see if the clerk will help you out.  Obviously, they are under no obligation to help you, but it would make business sense for them to do so.  You could go the DIY route and buy a machine yourself, but unless you have a lot of scratched discs, your wallet would probably be better off replacing your scratched discs.

If the $500+ machine at the movie-rental store can't help you, then it is time to buy a new disc or say goodbye to your movie or music.  Obviously, with a music CD, you can always burn the unaffected tracks to a new CD to use in the meantime.