DVD Care

Do:
1. Handle discs by the outer edge or the center hole.
2. use a non-solvent-based felt-tip permanent marker to mark the label side of the disc.
3. Keep dirt or other foreign matter from the disc.
4. Store discs upright (book style) in plastic cases specified for CDs and DVDs.
5. Return discs to storage cases immediately after use.
6. Leave discs in their packaging (or cases) to minimize the effects of environmental changes.
7. Open a recordable disc package only when you are ready to record data on that disc.
8. Store discs in a cool, dry, dark environment in which the air is clean.
9. Remove dirt, foreign material, fingerprints, smudges, and liquids by wiping with a clean cotton fabric in a straight line from the center of the disc toward the outer edge.
10. Use CD/DVD-cleaning detergent, isopropyl alcohol, or methanol to remove stubborn dirt or material.
11. Check the disc surface before recording.

Do Not:
1. Touch the surface of the disc.
2. Bend the disc.
3. Use adhesive labels.
4. Store discs horizontally for a long time (years).
5. Open a recordable optical disc package if you are not ready to record.
6. Expose discs to extreme heat or high humidity.
7. Expose discs to extremely rapid temperature or humidity changes.
8. Expose recordable discs to prolonged sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet light.
9. Write or mark in the data area of the disc (the area the laser "reads").
10. Clean by wiping in a direction going around the disc.

Most of these are common sense: Handle the disk by the edges, avoid touching the shiny surface where dirt, oil and fingerprints can leave residue. When not in use, store in it's case. When placing it in the case, make sure it is seated firmly in the center holder. And just like Videotapes, keep them away from excessive heat, sunlight, or anything that may scratch them.

One difference from Videotape is that the disks are not based on magnetic signals, so magnets and strong electrical fields will not affect them like they will videotapes, credit cards or floppy disks. Coloring the outside edge of a DVD with a green marker (or any other color) makes no difference in video or audio quality.

If a disk gets dirty, you can clean them easily with any on-the-market cleaning kits, bu you can also clean them with soap and water, or basic rubbing alcohol. But avoid using abrasives, solvents, or highly acidic cleansers. And use a soft, lint-free cloth, and wipe gently in a straight line from the center of the disk, out. This will avoid any potential scrapes from interrupting with the circular path of the signal.

With scratches, it is not the actual data section of the disk that is damaged, it is the clear coating that protects the data section of the disk, that has become damaged. Thus, the scratch is interfering with the path that the lazer must travel through to get to the information. (Like a tree down on the highway). To fix this, you can repair the disk by either filling the scratch with an optical material, or polishing down the scratch to remove it. There are many commercial products designed to help you do this, but you can also use a polishing compound, or even toothpaste to get the trick done. Just make sure you do not create any new scratches while you remove the old ones by polishing in straight lines away from the center.

DVD Player Care
DVD players do not need much maintenance since they use a layer to read a spinning disks. are resistant to fingerprints, dust, smudges, and scratches....

But if you keep your disks clean, your players will stay clean. However, a ddisk with a literal crack in it could harm your player, so do not attempt to play one.

Leaving the disc in the player spinning, paused, or just still, with the machine off, does not do harm, but do not leave the machine on, or in pause mode overnight, as it's just general wear and tear on the disk and the machine. The spinning disk provides a constant flow of air that keeps the area around the laser clean of dust and/or other dirt. However, if something does get in the laser, you can use the same lens cleaning kit similar to the one you use for your CD player, but because there are a few differences in lens positioning of CD and DVD players, use a disk that is specifically designed for DVD players.