CD-DVD LENS CLEANER : SAFE?

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Level 1

11 points

CD-DVD LENS CLEANER : SAFE?

I'm shopping for a CD-DVD LENS CLEANER to clean the laser, but I've read conflicting opinions about that. Some say it will scratch the lens and at the speed that the dvd spins will do more damage than good.

Others say it's fine.

Some say use a disk without brushes which Maxell does apparently (or use to) but I can't find them on the Web.

Some suggest If you feel comfortable to open you dvd player then get a few "Q-tips" and Windex.

But I need it for my computer not a DVD player. I have a Mac Pro Quad-Core Intel Xeon computer.

Can I open my Computer to do the cleaning? I open it before to install memory cartridge and such and I did clean whatever was visible and accessible. But I never paid attention to the laser. I think I saw where it is but seems difficult to access.

Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), Quad-Core Intel Xeon

Posted on Dec 10, 2015 2:57 PM

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Answer 1

Kurt Lang

Level 9

68,964 points

Dec 24, 2015 12:31 PM in response to tony gardino

There really isn't a great way to clean these, assuming the problem is just a dirty lens, and not a failed, or failing laser.

The problem with the various cleaning methods you can try without removing the drive pretty much only remove dust from the lens (and you can't see how well that's going), and a small surrounding area. In other words, a lot of dust is still left inside the unit and may cover the lens again.

Fortunately, optical drives are pretty easy to remove from the large Mac Pro tower models. Take off the side cover, grab the aluminum housing the optical drive is mounted in and simply pull towards you. Rotate it so you can unplug the power/data cable and it's out.

How much daring or experience you have determines whether or not you really want to try manually cleaning the drive. But to really clean it, you would undo the screws holding the drive to the carrier and take the cover off so you can carefully blow dust out of the entire drive compartment. Then use a Q-Tip and some cleaning solution that doesn't leave a film, such as rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, etc. Get the Q-Tip moist, not dripping wet, and gently rub the lens clean. Put the drive back together and mount it back in the Mac.

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