Disc maintqnence tips - Game disc cleaner shortage

General Discussion
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With everyone making hand sanitizer, the one product I could seem to find nowhere that would be of interest to srk posters and readers is 91% isopropylhol.

They do carry the 70% stuff, but that has other stuff besides isopropylhol and water like medicinal herbs to calm pain in open wounds. And that is not the stuff you should put on your gaming media.

Then I remembered some of the newer media like the Wii U disc and Blu-ray based systems, do better with water than isopropylhol.

also didn’t the GameStop “disc cream” formula change based on which generation was? I don’t know where they were change when going from CDs to DVDs or going from DVDs to blu-rays. I remember the original CD formula even fixed a LaserDisc I had of Batman Forever. One part that would cause it to skip suddenly just stop skipping with that cream.

Also isn’t cartridge contact cleaner essentially isopropylhol too?

If your collection goes from the 2600 to the 360 did you might need to keep straight your cleaners. Maybe someone can Sticky the best cleaners and repair elixirs.

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No, just No.
Don’t use alcohol on your media.

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Do not use hand sanitizer on anything.

Isopropyl must be 90% or greater, and it’s only used for electronics. Not Discs.

The disc “cream” is a scam.
For disc “resurfacing” don’t use that bargain basement home shit, you want to use a professional machine with a professional solution for disc resurfacing. That use at home crap will ruin discs.

80s/90s stuff for cart cleaners is just distilled water, hence why you got to use the clean and dry pads and allow the cart to dry out.

But seriously, no to your whole post.
That all a quick way to ruin games.

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Yeah couple of things that are not as easy as it sounds. first taking a disc to the Family Video is not easy in 3 cases.

One is PlayStation 1 discs which they say ruins their Disc sander.

Another is GameCube discs because they can’t properly sent her an 8 cm disc platform that locks in a 12cm disc.

With Laser Discs you just have two problems. One is the opposite of GameCube: a 30 cm disc. And the other is sanding down a LaserDisc ruins the whole point of it because video data is stored as an analog wave engraved on the disc. It is literally a video record.

First of all using GameStop disc cream on pre-DVD discs seems to work very well.

By the way. When I use the term isopropylhoI mean 90% plus with the rest of it being nothing but water. As you said electronics cleaner.

Cartridges clean perfectly fine on that because those are physical contact devices. It gets a lot of the gunk out.

The original point of the post was that the 90% isopropylhol is very hard to find in the covid crisis because most of it is being used for 70% isopropyl plus medicinal herbs and is labeled as rubbing alcohol, as well as hand sanitizer what you may be any kind of alcohol plus a lotion that work together. Besides most sanitizers use ethyhol. It’s the methylhol stuff it’s dangerous to put on your hands and touch with your mouth.

that’s exactly why I specifically used the word 90% isopropylhol, and said don’t confuse it with rubbing alcohol because rubbing alcohol has medicinal herbs.

the only disc patient I lost that I bought new

actually the only disc that started well that I actually killed was The Simpsons game for Wii. And that one I took to a professional at Family Video, and for some strange reason the operating system recognizes The Simpsons game but after that just goes back to the OS menu on the Wii. I might as well consider it a Frisbee now.

I haven’t counted the number of games but I got at least a thousand optical disc based games because I bought ten 100-packs of CD paper jackets and I had to buy a second set. Let’s just say I revived many more dead thrift store discs than I killed living discs in the act of trying to save them. I got a couple thrift store discs for free because it was so scratched yet I was able to get them to work. And the only time it went from dying to dead was putting the Simpsons game on the Family Video machine.

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Well what’s wrong.

Never use alcohol (of any kind) on optical media, as it can cause delaimination of the disc and the disc layers start to separate.

Never, ever sand anything. Disc resurfacing is not sanding.

Never use that Gamestop “snake-oil” polish cream, you wear out and age your discs faster.
Same thing with the Skip-Dr, the Skip-Dr can also make patterns that wear out your optical drive laser faster.

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Sorry for being too proverbial with the verb “sanding”. I didn’t mean with literal sandpaper, or using a sanding tool. I agree, don’t use sanding paper. I meant it as a verb for resurfacing through a subtractive method. (Do you shave off the top layer or do you put in a coat that evens the rough parts by building up?)

Maybe CDs and LDs had no coating where isoporpylhol would react with, and maybe DVDs and definitely Blu Rays have coatings which react with alcohol.

Game Stop disc cream works with CDs laser discs better, because the cream, plus very localized circular motions with a cotton or softer fabric, smooths the rough edges that causes faulty laser reflection. Ideally a laser should be absorbed or reflected at a designed angle. If it reflects at any other 3d angle it registers an error, neither a 1 nor a 0. Smoothing out the jagged scratches would make it less likely to cause an error.

As discs became more scratch resistant, they’ve become more susceptible to smudges. It’s been more harmful to use Alcohol. I agree. I don’t use Alcohol on BDs. I Do on CDs and LDs. DVDs? not sure.

GameStop works like a charm on CDs and LDs. The later you go, the less effectively it works it’s probably due to that anti-scratch coating.

and when I say alcohol, I don’t say pour alcohol in a big pool on a disc. You put it in a spritzer and spray it like a light mist of alcohol. They sell $1 unused cosmetic bottles that would work well with that.

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No, still no. Please stop.
If you going to use alcohol it needs to be in a 1:1 solution with water, and it needs to be 90% alcohol or higher mixed in with equal parts water. or just use straight water (preferibily distilled water), or use a mild non-ammonia glass cleaner.

You don’t want to use 70% (or less) as it contains oils. The Alcohol is harmless to the blank side but can wreck the label side where damage is much more critical. Damage the label side and you can chuck the whole thing away.

You do not “spritz” or spray the Disc it self. Never spray anything on any discs. You want to apply the cleaning solution to a lint-free soft wiping cloth, those microfiber cloths for cleaning glasses are fine.

The vulnerable parts of the disc is the label side, where the foil layer that reflects the laser is very close to the surface. The only protection the foil layer has is a coat of varnish and the printing of the label side. Commercial Discs are stamped, have a microns thick layer of foil applied and then varnished and have the label printed on. The blank side is the side can can afford some “damage”. Lose or damage the foil layer, you lose those pits and lands, the Ones and Zeros on the disc it self.

If your disc isn’t playing, you hold it up to the light, and you see pinhole size spots of light, the label side is damaged beyond repair and you can now throw the whole disc out.

No they haven’t.

And older CDs and LDs are more vulnerable to Alcohol than modern DVDs and Bluray.
You want to spray nothing on an LD at all. You want to use clean cloth only. If you needed a liquid, use only distilled water lightly applied to the cloth.

No. Just No. Stop. This stuff ruins discs faster than anything.

Also No. You will just leave a pattern on the disc surface that wears out lasers of the drive faster.

No it does not. This is false.

Scientifically it’s the Subtractive method, but it needs to be done in a professional resurfacing machine, that takes only the tiniest amounts off the surface. It’s cleaning solution it uses is nonreactive and it used more to carry away particles than anything else, and it’s not a solvent.

Never use any store bough disc resurfacing product. There are game and music stores that have a professional disc resurfacing machine and not a CD Skip Doctor with paste bought at GameStop.

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The CD layers

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FYI: The lands and pits are stamped on the polycarbonate layer, with the lands and pits on top of this layer facing the foil reflective layer.

On Burned Media, there a Ink Dye layer between the polycarbonate and the reflective layer.
The Dye layer is very vulnerable to any solvents, as it is a dye/ ink.

I will just leave this here.

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First of all why would I spray the label side intentionally? Isn’t the whole point of CD cleaning is to prevent skips?

Besides I’m not vain enough to want to polish my label sides.

The whole point is to clean the data sites.

If a disc isn’t skipping then why would I want to mess with it ?

I know you didn’t explicitly say this, but I seem to think you encountered people who sprayed the label side of music and data discs before.

The label side you just wipe with a towel.

All this time I was talking about wiping the data side to fix scratch disks and skipping lasers.

I may be half Polish, but everyone knows that polish Gene is a recessive trait, so it has to come from both parents to be active. I may be a carrier but I know I’m not Polish enough to go take a DNA test to find out because I’m being figurative with the Polish Gene thing just to make a point. It’s like the Family Guy empire strikes back nerf-herder joke. Only I could call myself Polish. .)

Also pure text with no smileys it’s kind of hard to read the face to know whether there’s half sarcasm or if there’s true anger. And my Asperger’s Syndrome does make it hard to do that in real life when tones and facial cues are there. It’s doubly hard in only text.

I forgot a lot of the audience is very technical and exact. I forgot that poetic license is not granted in a technical community unless you specifically get an exemption to the rule by stating it beforehand.

the difference between a scientific and a literary view

It’s like talking about implied linguistic accuracy of 100 cm vs 1 m versus the implied mathematical accuracy. Scientifically the “one meter” is accurate to the nearest 50 centimeters, and so is 100 cm without any other indicators . If one wanted to state 100 cm to the nearest centimeter, one must state 1.00 m or 1.00E2 cm , but linguistically “one meter” implies you have one of something called a meter, and “100 centimeters” implies you have a hundred things all called centimeters.

I never even considered touching the label side. What kind of person would try to clean the label side with anything chemical.

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it’s not vanity, its common sense. The label side is the most fragile. You want to talk about Disc “maintenance” and care, you need to bring up that the label side is very fragile.
And it does not take much, a little too much “cleaning” fluid at the edges of the disc is good enough to introduce oxidation and decay. Hence why you apply your cleaner to the cloth and not the disc.

No. The Point is not to get the thing scratched or filthy in the first place. Proper care and storage will keep optical discs lasting longer, not maintenance. Once Disc rot appears, it’s far too late.
As for scratches is better to prevent them than to fix them. Light scuffs and scratches can be polished out, deep scratches means the media can be trashed. Only cleaning that should show up with proper care is maybe removing accidental finger prints. Always hold your discs by the edge.

Yeah, and all the home products/remedies are based on falsehoods.
Prevention is the name of the game here.

Does not matter if it’s intentional or not, just laying the disc label side down can damage said disc.
You can do everything right and still have a damage label side just from the heat and humidity of your home.

No. I stay away from smileys unless I am joking/playing around, or if I am mocking someone.
I stick to pure text if I am trying to be serious on a topic.
And this is not even me being angry, just annoyed that you aren’t getting the message.
I get actually belligerent here on forums if I am angry.

Technical and exact is what is needed if you are going though a technical and exact topic.
There a world of difference between what is resurfacing (extremely minor abrasives), vs Sanding (almost the extreme other end of abrasives).
Poetic license has no place in a technical discussion where what you think are similar terms are actually worlds apart.

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I agree that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

The reason why I mainly ask is because I sometimes try to “revive” discs at thrift stores.

I’ve revived enough game corpses where GameStop cream help pay for itself many times over.

I always try the disc first without touching it. Hopefully the scratches are not that severe. But if the disc doesn’t work, that’s when Dr. Disc operates.

Though nobody’s perfect, I always try to make sure to take out only one game at a time and put it back when I switch games or even before when I’m done. It’s better to put it in a mismatched media case, then to leave it out in the open where to get scratched.

And this was before I got more organized recently, thanks to a new medicine.

If you treat media discs like they’re silver frisbees, clay targets, or coasters, then eventually (possibly at the first mistreatment incident) that will be their only working function.

and yes Blu-ray discs are more scratch resistant than previous media but at the cost of easier to acquire, but just as easy to remove, smudges of fingerprints. With some of these multi disc packs coming up with creative ways the hold four or more discs in one package, some of them are not as big as winners as they thought they were and will eventually get fingerprints. Thankfully fingerprints come off easily we just a wipe and maybe water at most. You don’t use alcohol, even on the data side of blu Ray’s. I never mess up a single or double. Triples and quads are kind of questionable. Quints & beyond I may just put in a separate disc holding folio. My Nickelodeon’s Doug DVD collection came in a 5-pack. It was just easier to put that in the folio, and eventually add Disney’s Doug to the folio once I find that on DVD.

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Back to the original point. the only reason I specifically looked for 90% isopropyl was because I knew the only ingredients were isopropyl and water. At that ratio, those are the only possible ingredients.

I usually avoid 70% isopropylhol because it contains scents and herbs and other stuff that help healing in the rubbing alcohol.

So I found out that if you read the labels, and it says isoprophyhol the only active ingredients and the only inert ingredient is purified water, then 70% isopropyl is just the exact same mix with a higher ratio of water. Since the ideal ratio is 50/50 isopropylhol to water, this is closer to the ideal ratio.

90% isopropyl Hall is rare in the covid-19. I think all things considered pharmaceuticals must have a list of ingredients including inert ingredients, and if it has a trade secret ingredients it must have a generic term for it like scents, herbs, etc. …

I assume if the only active ingredient is isopropylhol and the only inert ingredients is purified water, that I’m pretty safe. because I assumed sense and herbs and other inert ingredients that are technically than that pharmaceuticals but do affect the purity of the mix have to be listed either generically or specifically.

Kind of like how Kentucky Fried Chicken coating is a blend of 11 herbs and spices but they don’t specify what they are exactly, though some people have gotten pretty darn close.

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I going to stop you right there. Nonfood items don’t accurately report any ingredients.

And no. You took all I said out of context.

Nope. And 90%/99% isoprophyhol isn’t really used in medicine. And with certain exceptions anything under 1% of the total product does not has to be reported. 99% consider to harsh and to abrasive on skin. Hence why you see alot of 70% alcohol. Trace oils are put in to protect from abrasion.

The original point is you got no idea what your talking about and now you are back peddling.

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How to ACTUALLY Properly clean and maintain your games.

Game Cartridges/Carts

Care/ maintain
If when ever possible keep game carts in their storage box or sleeve.
Keep your carts away from dust, heat and direct sunlight.
Carts should be stored in a case, box or sleeve in a normal room temperature room, out of direct sunlight with low or relatively low humidity. Do not ever blow or pour liquids in your cart. If your cart do not work, try removing the cart and reinserting it fully so proper contact can be made.

If carts are dirty and needed to be clean, do not ever use sandpaper, metal polish (No Brasso) or any harsh solvents.
If you are able to open your cart use an Eraser to gently clean the contact pins.
The 1Up Card and similar products can be used. If you do not have access to a 1UP card, a cotton swab with 99% isopropyl alcohol can be used, if isopropyl can’t be found denatured alcohol also known as Ethyl alcohol at 99% can also be used. No not use 70% as the water content is not good for electronics. For heavy corrosion a fiberglass pen can be used very lightly to clean any oxidation.

Game Cards (ala DS, Switch and Vita Games)
Same as game Carts above.

Optical Media (CDs, Laser Disc, DVDs, Bluray, ect)
Always keep your optical media in its case, sleeve or caddy when not in use.
Keep your Discs in a cool dark place with low humidity.
Never try to bend or flex your discs.
Always handle your optical media by the edges, never by the blank or label side.
Never lay down your discs Label side down.

How to Clean your optical media.
Clean your optical media only with a solution 50/50 solution of 99% alcohol ( isopropyl or ethel) and distilled water. No not use rubbing alcohol that 70% or less as it’s impurities can leave a mess.
Clean your discs from the center going out in straight lines, never in a circular motion.

Always apply your cleaning solution to a soft lint free cloth or cotton ball, and apply that to your disc.
Never spray or submerge your disc in any fluids what so ever.


Going in a circular motion leaves behind scuffs.

Never use any harsh or household chemicals or cleaners. Never use any glass cleaner, creams, polishes, Petroleum products, solvents, straight alcohol, hand sanitizer, or the like.

For mild/ minor scratches. Minor or mild scratches can be buffed out with white non-gel toothpaste, or a weak solution of water and baking soda. White toothpase with baking soda has the best results.
gently rub up and down your toothpaste or baking soda (same pattern as cleaning a Disc), do not go in circular motions. Rinse off gently with water and dry with a link free cloth.

For any other scratches, you want a professional resurfacing service to remove any scratches.

Spots/ holes. If you can see spots or holes in your disc, as you hold it up to the light, its too late and the Disc is permanently damaged. If it’s an analog format like Audio CDs or Laser Disc, the Disc can possibly be readable with some noise or distortion on the playback. Digital recordings are lost.

Disc Rot.
If you have Disc Rot, your disc is done for. It is permanently damaged and can not be repaired.

Analog media can still be copied (depending on the severity of the damage), digital media is a lost and can be thrown out.

Prevention is the name of the game here, its better to prevent damage than to try to fix it. Specially on Optical media.

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I agree with pretty much everything, except laser discs are too big to be held on opposite edges. Uses Index finger on outer edge and thumb on inner “donut holes” edge.

I know do not leave games around Willy nilly.

Also, if you have a choice, spindle type top loaders are the worst bays if you’re not careful. I’d grab a 12 cm disc between the thumb and middle finger along the edge, and use my index finger to go through the donut holes and feel for the spindle. Once the index finger rests on top of the spindle, lower the CD with thumb and middle, not letting go until you feel the lock in.

Aren’t scents, medicinal herbs and other stuff in rubbing alcohol REQUIRED to be listed under “inert ingredients”. So today’s 70% has no inert ingredients other than purified water because of Covid.

I prefer ejector trays and slot driven ejectors. So Sega CD discs are healthy, but Saturn and Dreamcast may have problems. Missing center caused scratches until I came up with that technique.

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Nope. There alot of stuff thats not required to be listed. Actual Food items are, not so much for non food items.

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Thanks for telling me.

The local drug store non-pharmacist employee said that the 70% isopropylhol “rubbing alcohol” has as the only 2 ingredients, alcohol and water, according to the label.

I haven’t broken the seal. So I’ll talk to a pharmacist to ask how I tell the presence vs absence of non water inert ingredients.

Seriously, thanks for the notice.

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Any retailer is just going to go off what the packaging say, nothing more and nothing less.

Pharmasist is a retail employee with a PhD.

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I talked to my pharmacist who knows bare basics of pharmaceutical law, and because this is over-the-counter isopropylhol, all ingredients must be listed under inert ingredients. Or at least if it does have those extra ingredients, he thought I brought up an interesting case in the law that’s ambiguous, if DarkSakul is correct.

If you have a trade secret you could own the secret for as long as you can keep it. Otherwise you expose it and patent it and it’s to protect it for a limited time. But trade secret ingredients have to be labeled as such with the components in descending order. and patented or formally patented ingredients have a certain definition that must be followed to legally be called that though a trade name.

maybe a chemist and a lawyer could speak on these two issues. The 90% isopropyl I haven’t seen since Covid started. So this is kind of an important issue. I would ask the chemist is there a test to prove whether or not a certain bottle who claims the only ingredients are 70% isopropylhol as the only active ingredient, and the only inert ingredient is purified water, is there some test to either binarily prove that those are the only two ingredients or if there’s a foreign ingredients in there…ANY foreign ingredients.

And a lawyer I would ask if a be reasonable to expect if the only ingredients listed are isopropyl and water that any foreign ingredient would automatically disqualify the label and therefore they be liable for any game damages if I used. their product. Of course an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so I’m not going to use it on my CDs until I know better.

But even DarkSaul admitted isopropylhol is a good cleaner of certain optical media ON THE DATA SIDE. We both agree that any foreign ingredients other than isopropylhol and water would ruin CDs or best risk ruining CDs. And just because it’s inert to humans doesn’t mean it’s inert to video games.

With the lack of 90% isopropylhol in the market due to the covid-19, with no end in sight, this is kind of an important issue. I want to be sure when the only two ingredients are isopropyl and water, that those are the only two ingredients.