Q&A for How to Repair a CD With Toothpaste

You can use an old t-shirt instead of a microfiber cloth. This is what I usually do, and it has not damaged my CDs at all.

After rubbing it into the CD, you may wipe it off whenever you please.

Yes, the same things work on CDs and DVDs. Keep in mind that if the scratch is really bad, it may not be repairable.

You most likely won't get deep enough to fix it, but even if you could, most of the data on the CD is on the other side. You need to be careful that you do not destroy the data on the CD while trying to fix the CD art.

Leave the toothpaste on for five minutes, then rinse off the toothpaste and dry.

You should probably ask him about it first. But if it's already broken, you don't have a lot to lose!

Yes. Gel toothpaste can't fix the problem. Try a classic baking soda/paste type toothpaste.

Yes, that should be fine.

Sure. It's the same thing for every digital disc, just be careful when wiping with the cloth.

When cleaning a CD, use a silk cloth and be careful not to apply too much pressure.

You can use distilled water to clean a CD. Avoid using tap water, but if necessary, dry the CD thoroughly to prevent mineral spots. Use a soft, damp cloth to gently scrub off any debris. Increase the pressure gradually if needed, but avoid scratching. Finally, dry the disc by blotting or tapping with a soft cloth.

Yes, you can use glass cleaner but use only a small amount.

Yes, you can use blue toothpaste as the flavor or color doesn't matter; the goal is to fill in the scratches.

Yes, water can damage a CD. The metal reflective layer that stores data is thin and can be corroded by water. High-quality CDs have a protective layer that resists short-term water exposure, but poor-quality CDs may incur damage sooner. If a CD gets wet, dry it gently with a lint-free cloth. Avoid scratching the surface. If the CD is submerged for too long, it may become unreadable.

No. First of all, the innermost "circle" on a CD is the spindle hole. As it is a hole, there is nothing for toothpaste to touch. The next "circle" is the clamping area, which is purely mechanical and contains no data (it is typically clear). Second, all of the underside of a CD is composed of a single material, polycarbonate. Toothpaste behaves the same on all of it.

Any stuck paper must have adhesive to the side being stuck. Don't use any hot water or alcohol. Lay the disc down with the paper that stuck to it facing upwards and then you should spray it with a short burst of WD-40 and let it soak for 40 minutes and see what happens next - it should come off with ease.

Two things that you need to do here - clean the TOC ring with a clean cloth, as dust and foreign debris might exist on the new discs. And secondly, you need to get "a disc cleaner," the one with a disc that has small brushes embedded in it and run that in your player to clean the player's laser heads. Since you purchased new discs ,the player might also be outdated and old too? That is like putting on a old shirt and wear a new one over it.

The only thing that disc is good for now is a coaster, as ringing a disc is basically death for it. You'll have to find a new/different copy.

Try covering up the scratches with yellow highlighter, this should work. And if it does not work, then the CD may be beyond repair.

It might have too much toothpaste left on it or it still can't read the disk. Try cleaning the disk and trying again. If not, the CD probably cannot be repaired.

The laser is infrared, so you won't see it anyway. Usually to tell if it's broken, use a brand new CD and if that won't play, then you have an issue.

Yes. Any CD disc should work after the toothpaste method. Xbox games are CD based, so the CD should be good.

If it is stained, than use warm water and mild soap and use a old t-shirt or a soft cloth to dry it off without scratching the disc.

You cold try a stronger abrasive, a CD repair kit, or if you can't fix it, just buy a new one. If it has data on it that really matters, take it to a place that is able to restore corrupted data.