How to Fix a Scratched CD

Sometimes, we really want to play whatever’s on an old CD we’ve stored, but it can easily become scratched, making it nearly impossible to play. 5-Minute Crafts has a list of 6 different methods to help you solve this problem so you can bring your discs back to life.

1. Use toothpaste.

• Squeeze some non-gel toothpaste onto the shiny part of the CD.
• Spread the toothpaste using your fingers or a microfiber cloth, and do it from the center, outward.
• Rinse off the CD with some water straight from the sink faucet.
• Dry the CD with a dry microfiber cloth.

2. Apply a wax-based product.

• Apply shoe polish, lip balm, furniture wax, or petroleum jelly to the shiny part of the CD.
• Rub it with a suitable cloth so the wax product fills in the scratches.
• Wipe the excess wax with a lint-free cloth.

3. Apply peanut butter.

• Rinse the CD with some warm water.
• Dry it off with a microfiber cloth.
• Put some creamy peanut butter on a microfiber cloth and spread it on the shiny part of the CD in a radial motion.
• Remove the peanut butter from the CD with a wet microfiber cloth.
• Let it air dry.

4. Use metal polish.

• Take a cotton cloth and dip it into the metal polish solution.
• Buff the shiny part of the disc gently with the cloth, and rub it from the inner part to the edges in a straight line, outward.
• Do it until it’s completely polished.

5. Heat up the CD.

• Flip the CD so its shiny part is up.
• Hold it with your hands, 4 inches apart from a lamp with an incandescent 60-watt light bulb.
• Rotate the disk for about 20 seconds, then remove it from the exposure.

6. Use banana.

• Cut the banana into slices and rub one of them on the surface of the CD in a radial motion.
• Next, use the inside of a banana peel to wipe off the CD surface as well. Again, do it in a radial motion.
• Clean the CD with a dry cotton or microfiber cloth.