Q&A for How to Fix a Scratched Video Game

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What if I dont have a microfiber cloth?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You can use a soft cotton cloth to wipe the disc (as long as it's clean). However, paper products like paper towels and tissues shouldn't be used.

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Question

Can I use toothpaste instead of petroleum jelly?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Yes! Toothpaste and petroleum jelly are both oil-based substances that can fill in the scratches on a disc. You can use either one, try both, and try other oil-based substances like car wax, peanut butter, and lip balm.

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Question

Will this method work for the front of the disc too?

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Do not use the above methods for the front of the disc, as that side is mostly for decorations.

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Question

Can I use hand sanitizer to fix a scratched game disc?

Community Answer

Yes you can. If the game is still messed up after that, then take it to your local game shop. They should be able to fix it for you.

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Question

Will this work for an Xbox 360 disc?

Community Answer

Yes, it is identical and the technique will work fine.

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Question

What stores can clean disks?

Community Answer

Video game stores and some independent movie stores have disc scratch fixing services.

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Question

Do these strategies work for GameCube games?

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Yes, these methods should work for any and most discs. If these methods fail to work, take it to a game store and get it professionally fixed.

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Question

Will I ruin my game if I use cold water to fix a scratch on it?

Community Answer

Water will not damage your disk unless it's hot water, in which case it may melt a tiny portion of the disk. You can use cold water to fix scratches on your game, without causing damage to the disk.

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Question

Could you use baking soda?

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No. Baking soda has a coarse, sandy texture that could further damage the disc.

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Question

What should I do if the toothpaste and peanut butter method did not work?

Community Answer

Clean the disc with detergent or rubbing alcohol, then try the wax or jelly trick.

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Question

Will scratches cause a game to freeze during downloads?

Community Answer

Yes, especially if you are using a next gen game, like Xbox One or PS4.

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Question

Will the technique from the article work for all systems?

Community Answer

Yes, and for DVDs and CDs, as they all share the same basic construction.

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Question

Are there methods that will work on a severely scratched disc if these don't work?

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The only good way to avoid using these methods is taking the disc in for professional repair or replacing it.

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Question

Does peanut butter really work?

Community Answer

It's not recommended that you use it first, but if nothing else works, then you could give it a try. Some people find that it works sometimes, if used correctly. If used incorrectly, it would damage your disk further.

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Question

Will a regular washcloth work?

Community Answer

As long as the cloth is soft and smooth, not rough, it should be fine.

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Question

Will the technique in the article work on PS3 discs?

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The methods will work for most discs types if used correctly.

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Question

What do I do if I tried the toothpaste method and it damaged my CD?

Community Answer

You will most likely need to buy a new game.

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Question

Is a disc completely ruined if it has a full crack all the way through?

Community Answer

Yes, that is beyond simple repair.

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Question

What counts as a soft cloth?

Community Answer

Anything that doesn't feel scratchy to the touch, cotton, polyester blends, anything like that.

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Question

Should I wash the disc right away after using the banana method?

Community Answer

Yes, if you let it sit for too long, it can turn into a quite nasty crust that's hard to get off.

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Question

Does alcohol really work?

Community Answer

Yes, since it's a cleaning agent. However, it's a good idea to polish the disc afterwards.

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Question

Does this work with PC discs?

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Yes. The type of disc doesn't matter, just its condition and whether you follow the instructions correctly.

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Question

Is there a lotion I can use to repair a disc?

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If you purchase a cleaning kit for the disk, it will come with the appropriate lotion.

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Question

Can I repair a disc with a deeper scratch at home? If so, how?

Community Answer

You can try. You would have to repeat the steps in the article more than once (depending on how bad or deep the scratch is).

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I tried everything and nearby stores don't fix discs. Is there something that is specially made to clean discs?

Community Answer

If you get a disc buffer, it cleans, buffs, and removes scratches from discs.

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Question

Can I use spray detergent to fix a scratched disc?

Community Answer

It doesn't work as well as regular detergent.

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Question

What would be a good brand of toothpaste to use?

Community Answer

Any plain toothpaste does the trick.

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Question

Is there a substitute for a microfiber cloth?

Community Answer

Yes. Any soft cloth will work.

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Question

Why should I use a wax and/or jelly as a last option?

Community Answer

It can actually damage the disc so you should only use it at a last resort.

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Question

Will this work on a PS4 disk?

Community Answer

Yes, this is for all types of disks.

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