best way to clean your DVD/CD Burner??

make believe

Hello,

What is the best way to clean the lens on either your cd/dvd burners or cd/dvd rom drives?

I am curious if it is even necessary and if so what is the most recommended way.

Thanks in advance.

iss

most manufacturer's recommend using ONLY canned air for cleaning and advise against those CD's with the brushes on them.

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furballi

If there is a smoker in the house, then crap could develop on the laser lens. I've successfully restored the performance of those filthy drives by brushing (LIGHTLY) the lens with a cotton QTIP moistened with alcohol. DO NOT soak the QTIP in alcohol. DO NOT use ACETONE!!! Reagent grade alcohol is best. You want to purchase alcohol will as little water as possible.

Warning...do it at your own risk. Opening the case will void the warranty.

HenryNettles

Be advised that opening the case and getting to the lens is NOT easy, at least not with most drives. In most cases, it helps to start with the tray open.

rdgrimes

I like to take all mine to the car wash and hose them out once a week.

furballi

I pull the drive out, open the top drive cover...100% access.

Kenshin

Get a new drive is the fastest way to make sure you drives work in good condition. What I mean is that most drives work alright in clean environment until the things are "outdated" because there are always newer, cheaper, and better replacements on the market in months.

I don't clean. I think user efforts to clean an optical drive is more harming than cleaning.

If you really feel your drive needs to be examined and cleaned but you are not experienced or skilled enough to do all the things yourself, take them to official representatives of the companies with good expertise and responsibility. If I do that in Seoul, the chance is very high that I might get just new drives which isn't a bad thing at all, but it takes about five hours for me to get that done, mostly wasted hours on the road (or train.)

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jroc

yes...i can contest to smoking..causing problems with the lens...lol..and I can also contest to using a Q-Tip with Isopropyl Alcohol and cleaning the lens...I had my Yamaha CRW-FE1 sitting in the trashcan..and said what the heck..and now its working 100%...also had problems with my old Plextor 504A and now its 100% and used in the other computer.

HarrySmiith

what about cleaning DVDs themselves. just been looking at a product called
"CleanDR Motorized Disc Cleaner" Can't make up my mind whether its a good idea or not. Certainly DVD speed results are better when a DVD has been cleaned.

Kenshin

I sometimes use just the cloth I use on my glasses. I don't like to use any chemicals.

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furballi

To polish discs, I use Meguiar's Deep Crystal Deep Gloss Polish and toilet paper. Keep the surface moist with the polishing cream. Change paper often. Use heavy pressure at first for deep scratches. Reduce pressure later to achieve a scratch free surface. Wipe dry with clean toilet paper. Use hand soap to clean dirty discs. Wipe dry immediately.