How can I clean a dirty CD which has a very difficult to remove stain? Which materials are best for cleaning? — AM, Mexico
Most CD’s are made from polycarbonate plastic (though other plastics with the same index of refraction are occasionally used). Polycarbonate is a pretty tough material, so it should survive most common stain or gum removing solvents. Try your favorite solvent on an unimportant CD first; such as one of the free discs that come occasionally in the mail. However, if the stain molecules have diffused into the plastic and have become trapped within the tangle of plastic molecules, you’re probably out of luck. Removing such a stain will require wearing away some of the plastic. Since the disc’s surface finish must remain smooth and the thickness of the disc shouldn’t change much, serious resurfacing is likely to make the disc unplayable. Also, stay away from the printed side of the disc—it has only a thin layer of varnish protecting the delicate aluminum layer from injury. Solvents can wreck this side of the disc. Finally, if the stain is a white mark (or a scratch), you may be able to render the disc clear again by filling the tiny air gaps that make it white with another plastic. I’ll bet that a clear furniture polish or liquid wax will soak into the white spot, replace the air, and render the disc clear and playable.