How to Fix a Skipping DVD

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DVDs can skip for a number of reasons. Dust might have accumulated on the surface of the DVD, the disc might be scratched, or the DVD player itself might not be working properly. Clean the surface of the DVD, rub out any scratches, and clean your DVD player to stop your DVD skipping in future. If none of these methods work, they will at least tell you which component is broken.

Quick Steps

  1. Get rubbing alcohol and a soft, lint-free cloth (not a paper towel).
  2. Apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to the cloth.
  3. Gently wipe the shiny side of the disk from edge-to-edge, not in a circular motion.
  4. Allow the disk to dry completely before checking to see if it still skips.

For popular FAQs on fixing a DVD that skips, jump to more common questions .

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using Rubbing Alcohol

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  1. If you wear glasses, use the lint-free cloth you use to clean your lenses. This type of cloth is excellent at cleaning materials without damaging them. If you don't have rubbing alcohol at home, buy a bottle at your local supermarket or convenience store. [1]
    • You can use a bottle of distilled water if you can't find rubbing alcohol anywhere.
    • Do not use tap water as it may have some salt in it and this will cause further damage to your DVD.
  2. Some DVD players might require you to hit the "stop" button on your remote control before you can eject it from the machine. Hold the cloth over the opening of your bottle. Quickly tilt the bottle to add a small dab of rubbing alcohol to the cloth.
    • When handling the DVD, hold the disc by the edges. Holding the middle of the disc or other areas may cause further damage.
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  3. Holding the outside of the disc, place your cloth at the center and wipe in a gentle, fluid motion toward the outside edge of the disc. Wipe the bottom side of the DVD, the side with the shiny surface. Do not use pressure or friction when wiping as you'll only damage the disc.
    • Wipe from the center to the outside around the entire disc.
    • Avoid wiping the disc in a circular motion. This will cause more scratches and further damage the DVD.
  4. Your DVD won't be very wet after rubbing it with a damp cloth, but you should give it a few minutes to dry. Don't lay it down while it dries as dust or dirt might accumulate on its surface. [2]
  5. If the DVD works perfectly, the cleaning process worked. If the DVD keeps skipping, either the DVD or the DVD player is at fault. [3]
    • Try using another DVD in the player. If that DVD doesn't skip, your other DVD is broken. If it does skip, it's likely that your DVD player is at fault.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using Toothpaste

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  1. When your DVD stops working, it's usually a large scratch in the plastic coating that causes these problems. Grab the DVD by the edges and hold it near some light so you can see every little groove in the coating. Look for the scratch somewhere on the surface of the DVD. [4]
    • The scratch might be tiny. If you can see it, it's likely that it's causing problems with your DVD playback.
  2. Use either a cotton swab or a lint-free cloth to place the toothpaste on the scratch. Don't use your finger as you might cause further damage to the surface of the DVD. [5]
    • Some people advise using a toothbrush to add the toothpaste to the scratch. This is a bad idea as some toothbrushes have thick bristles that will scratch the surface of your DVD.
  3. Rub the scratch using small, circular motions with the cotton swab. Don't be too rough with the cotton swab. You should try to be as delicate as possible when rubbing the scratch with the toothpaste. [6]
    • Conventional wisdom says to never use circular motions to clean a DVD. This is true for the most part but you have to use circular motions to remove the scratch from the surface.
  4. Use a clean cloth to clean the toothpaste from the DVD. Use gentle, fluid strokes with the cloth to clean the disc's surface and cause minimal damage. [7]
    • Avoid using tap water as the salty minerals will erode the surface of the disc.
  5. If the DVD plays perfectly without skipping, you've managed to get rid of the scratch and fix the DVD. If the DVD still skips after you've fixed the scratch, there are a number of possibilities: [8]
    • There's another scratch you need to clean. Chances are that you cleaned 1 scratch of many on the surface of the DVD. If the DVD won't work after you cleaned the first scratch, use toothpaste on the others.
    • There's a problem with your DVD player. Blow into the disc feed to clean dust away from the reading lens. If the DVD still skips, try putting another DVD in the DVD player. If that works without a problem, your DVD is probably damaged beyond repair.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Cleaning the DVD Player

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  1. Before you start work on cleaning the DVD, make sure it's not connected to electricity. You want to be able to give the DVD player a rigorous and thorough clean and it's vital that you're safe when doing so.
    • Lay the leads and cords on a couch or another area. Separate them from each other to avoid tangling.
  2. Take the DVD player and put it on a clean, stable work surface. Use a damp cloth to wipe the exterior of the DVD player. Pay special attention to the vents when using the cloth.
    • Avoid wiping the electrical outlets on the player with the damp cloth.
  3. If you have a small nozzle attachment for your vacuum cleaner, attach it. Place the nozzle over the vents to remove any dust or dirt from the fan and other areas of the DVD player.
    • If you don't have a small nozzle, put another attachment on the end of the vacuum. Using the vacuum with no attachments might cause damage to the inside of the machine with the power of the vacuum.
  4. You can open most DVD players by pushing the eject button on the machine itself. If not, plug the machine back in, click the eject button, and plug out the machine once more. Place the vacuum against the opening of the DVD player to remove any dust and debris that has accumulated on the inside.
    • Don't try to jam the vacuum inside the machine. Gently placing it against the opening will do the trick.
  5. The DVD player head is located on the ceiling of the inside of the machine. The laser is usually located at the bottom. Use very gentle rubbing movements to clean these components. Don't be too rough as you could easily damage the inside of the machine.
    • Add some rubbing alcohol to your cotton swab for a more thorough clean.
  6. To be safe, 20 minutes should be plenty of time for the DVD player to dry after you've cleaned it. When you plug the DVD player back in, test your DVD to check if it still skips. If it doesn't skip, the DVD player was probably the problem.
    • If the DVD does skip, try another DVD. If that skips too, then it's likely that your DVD player is broken.
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Common Questions: Dealing With a Skipping DVD

Why is my DVD skipping or freezing?

The most common reasons a DVD skips is due to smudges, fingerprints, or scratches. Inspect the bottom (shiny) side of your DVD to determine if the DVD is just dirty or if it's damaged. Clean your DVD with a soft cloth to avoid scratching it. You can use toothpaste to try and fix any scratches on the DVD's surface.

Can I fix a DVD that is scratched or damaged?

You can try to fix a scratched DVD with toothpaste. Fill the scratch with a small dab of toothpaste, using a cotton swab to spread it. Then, use a soft cloth (not a paper towel) to buff the surface of the disk. You can also try metal polish, or a DVD scratch repair kit, both of which can be purchased online.

How do I fix a new DVD that skips, but has no scratches?

If the DVD has no scratches, try cleaning it with a soft cloth (not a paper towel) and some rubbing alcohol. It's possible that there's some smudges or a residue on your disk that you can't see which is causing the disk to skip. If cleaning the disk doesn't work, you may need to clean the sensor of your DVD player.

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Things You'll Need

Using Rubbing Alcohol

  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Distilled water
  • Lint-free cloth

Cleaning the DVD with Toothpaste

  • Toothpaste
  • Cotton swab
  • Lint-free cloth

Cleaning the DVD Player

  • Vacuum
  • Cloth
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Cotton swab

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References

  1. ↑ https://removeandreplace.com/2015/07/13/5-ways-to-fix-a-scratched-video-game-disc-how-to/
  2. ↑ https://removeandreplace.com/2015/07/13/5-ways-to-fix-a-scratched-video-game-disc-how-to/
  3. ↑ https://removeandreplace.com/2015/07/13/5-ways-to-fix-a-scratched-video-game-disc-how-to/
  4. ↑ https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/geeks-weigh-in-can-you-fix-a-scratched-cd-with-toothpaste-nb/
  5. ↑ https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/geeks-weigh-in-can-you-fix-a-scratched-cd-with-toothpaste-nb/
  6. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jan/18/repair-scratches-cd-dvd
  7. ↑ https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/geeks-weigh-in-can-you-fix-a-scratched-cd-with-toothpaste-nb/
  8. ↑ https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/geeks-weigh-in-can-you-fix-a-scratched-cd-with-toothpaste-nb/

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