In order to effectively clean a DVD player with no damage to the unit, it helps to have a little understanding of how it works beforehand. The DVD drive shines a laser on the disc as it spins, and then reads the reflections through a lens. When a DVD player skips or has other problems while playing a clean disc, the most likely culprit is dirt on this lens.
The first step for anyone encountering this problem is to try a commercial lens cleaning disc. This disc has microfiber bristlesattached to it that brush the lens as the disc spins. The microfiber bristles are very smooth, even at a fine level, so the bristles are able to brush and blow away dust without scratching the DVD lens. After you insert the disc and send it through a cleaning cycle as listed on the menu, test playability with a disc you’ve had problems with before.
Sometimes a commercial cleaning disc is not enough, especially when the lens has something other than regular dust on it. If you have a top-loading system, this kind of grime is more likely to happen due to the easy accessibility of the lens, but it is easier to clean than a front-loading DVD player or drive and it is unlikely that you will void your warranty by attempting to clean it. You will want to purchase lens cleaning swabs (or cloths, if swabs aren’t available – swabs are just the right shape and size for the small lenses of DVD players) at a local or online camera supply store. Once you have the swabs or cloths, simply wipe the lens with gentle motions. Going in different directions helps ensure you get all the dust or dirt. As before, you will want to test your DVD player to see if your cleaning method worked.
If you are still having problems with the DVD player or drive, you still have an option. Use isopropyl alchohol (also known as rubbing or wood alchohol) along with the lens cleaning swap or wipe. This can dissolve stubborn gunk that may be on your lens.
If you have a front-loading player that doesn’t become clean with a commercial disc, you have two different options. You can send the unit in for warranty cleaning, or if you are the do-it-yourself type and not afraid to void your warranty (or your warranty has expired), you can take a more active approach. If your DVD player is completely unusable, it is worth a shot to try to take the player apart and locate the lens. Be very careful when unscrewing the unit and consider taking pictures so you can remember how it goes back together. Clean the lens as described above and then reassemble the player. I was able to use this method to save my Xbox drive after the warranty had expired since Xbox discs (and most other console discs) are essentially DVDs.
