How to Professionally Repair DVDs Without Spending $500

There are many consumer CD/DVD repair kits out on the market today (Disc Washer, Disc Doctor, Memorex OptiFix Pro, etc), and they are all pretty much the same devices. Whether electronic or hand-cranked, these devices consist of a mechanical spindle and two buffing/cleaning pads. So what makes an expensive one worth the extra money? I've used several that work decently, and others that don't seem to help at all. The commercial disc cleaner at my neighborhood GameStop returns discs to a like-new finish in just a few minutes, but professional units like this cost over $500.

While the methods in this article have worked well in testing, I cannot guarantee you will achieve the same results. Anything you do to your discs you do so at your own peril. Check it out at OCModShop.