Cleaning my CD player!

Steve A. · 02-24-2009, 02:16 PM

Is this an appropriate topic for Music Electronics? I dunno... it is an electronics device which I use to listen to music.

In any case, I usually throw out my CD players when they start skipping when I play CDR's and do not respond to the special lens cleaner discs.

Well, this time I figured what the heck- why not add a little 99% isopropyl alcohol to the 6 little tufts on the cleaner disc? I'm ready to throw out this 5 disc player anyway and the Scotch AV501S cleaner disc was not one of my better ones.

Darn- it worked!

Not only did the CDR in question not skip but the music sounded a little bit clearer (that could have been my imagination!)

I think I will try it next with my car player which has started to skip a little bit.

BTW I stopped smoking on May 5, 2004 so neither of these players has been subjected to second hand smoke (I'm not sure how well the alcohol could remove tar and nicotine deposits, although it seems to do well with just dust).

Steve Ahola

oc disorder · 02-24-2009, 10:19 PM

I have had about 70% success cleaning with a cotton swab stick
(q-tip UK) (cotton bud Aust) very gently with glass cleaner on the actual lazer lens. Also cleaning the sled "bars" with isopropyl alcohol then coating them sparingly with some "white grease" available from tech stores.
Apparently so I'm told , if the lazer assembly doesn't make it to the T.O.C. in a set time it times out...
Then I use an old Bill Haley greatest hits (there were a lot of them! )cd which has about 26 tracks on random play so it moves around a lot and usually all the above is enough to put it back into use.

Enzo · 02-25-2009, 12:41 AM

Yes, that is standard, isopropyl on a Qtip. Wipe the lens directly. The lens is delicate, but just act carefully, it is no more tender than putting a contact lens in your eye.

The TOC is in the center and it plays outwards. If certain tracks are skipping and not others, you may have dry or dirty sled rails. And cleaning them and a quick relube with white grease as oc mentioned is the ticket.

Don Moose · 02-26-2009, 02:19 AM

I've had to pluck lint out of the drive in my stepson's PS2 a couple of times to get it to be able to reach the TOC.

He's beginning to think being a geek might be a good thing (he's got jock tendencies).

02-24-2009, 02:16 PM	#1
Steve A. Supporting Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 649	Cleaning my CD player! Is this an appropriate topic for Music Electronics? I dunno... it is an electronics device which I use to listen to music. In any case, I usually throw out my CD players when they start skipping when I play CDR's and do not respond to the special lens cleaner discs. Well, this time I figured what the heck- why not add a little 99% isopropyl alcohol to the 6 little tufts on the cleaner disc? I'm ready to throw out this 5 disc player anyway and the Scotch AV501S cleaner disc was not one of my better ones. Darn- it worked! Not only did the CDR in question not skip but the music sounded a little bit clearer (that could have been my imagination!) I think I will try it next with my car player which has started to skip a little bit. BTW I stopped smoking on May 5, 2004 so neither of these players has been subjected to second hand smoke (I'm not sure how well the alcohol could remove tar and nicotine deposits, although it seems to do well with just dust). Steve Ahola

02-25-2009, 12:41 AM	#3
Enzo Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA Posts: 10,352	Yes, that is standard, isopropyl on a Qtip. Wipe the lens directly. The lens is delicate, but just act carefully, it is no more tender than putting a contact lens in your eye. The TOC is in the center and it plays outwards. If certain tracks are skipping and not others, you may have dry or dirty sled rails. And cleaning them and a quick relube with white grease as oc mentioned is the ticket. __________________ Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

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02-24-2009, 10:19 PM	#2
oc disorder Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 428	I have had about 70% success cleaning with a cotton swab stick (q-tip UK) (cotton bud Aust) very gently with glass cleaner on the actual lazer lens. Also cleaning the sled "bars" with isopropyl alcohol then coating them sparingly with some "white grease" available from tech stores. Apparently so I'm told , if the lazer assembly doesn't make it to the T.O.C. in a set time it times out... Then I use an old Bill Haley greatest hits (there were a lot of them! )cd which has about 26 tracks on random play so it moves around a lot and usually all the above is enough to put it back into use.

02-26-2009, 02:19 AM	#4
Don Moose Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 676	I've had to pluck lint out of the drive in my stepson's PS2 a couple of times to get it to be able to reach the TOC. He's beginning to think being a geek might be a good thing (he's got jock tendencies).

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