Re: Would it be Ok to clean the "eye" of a cd/dvd player with alchol to clean it?
I've done it before on a portable CD player. but never have before on a dvd player, i've only had to clean one of those once, and i used the disc with those little brushes on it. If using alchol, i use isolpyol alcohol, i think that's what's it's called. If you just let the alcohol evaporate for like 15 minutes before using it again, i'd say in all honesty you'll be fine. I've used windex before on a rag to clean off a CD once, didn't hurt it, but it did make it play better. i thought it was better than paying big $$$$ on one of those expensive cd buffer cleaner things. If i recall correctly the eye doesn't actual contact the disc, it just shoots a laser up to read it. so the disc and the eye never actually touch or make any contact, so i don't think anything can hurt it that way. If it was to touch the disc, i'd say it would scratch it, alcohol or not. so that is why they put them at a distance apart.
but in all honesty, people, even me, use alcohol to clean cassette players, and VCR's. and those actually touch the head, if i recall correctly also. I've took the tops off of VCR's before while playing and it looks to me like the tape and head are touching.
but like i said, just give it about 15 or more minutes to evaporate off. The higher percentage of alcohol you use, i'd say the faster it will evaporate AND clean. i've seen around 91 before and sometimes like in the 70's? the bottle i have is just a cheap bottle from the dollar tree that's 50%. and less in percentage you go, the less "potent" it is, cause they use more water. so you'll have to it have more time to dry cause it has more water and such, plus it make require a little bit extra treatment cause it's "watered down". the higher the %, the more alcohol and less water in it, so it's more stronger and requires less time to dry i would imagine? but be in 50% or 91%, or more OR whatever %, as a rule of thumb i'd still give it 15 or more minutes.
I have a spray bottle that is used in the cheaper cd cleaners, but i couldn't find the ingredients on it, but i sprayed some and it smelt like alcohol. may be watered down though with something else in it. If i had to use it to clean a disc, i'd just spray the disc and wipe it off with a soft thing, or i'd use the 50% alcohol i already have with something soft, or like a cotton ball.
On a side note, if you're that worried about the life of the disc, it wouldn't hurt to back up those discs on a hard drive as extra insurance
