Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer

Subject: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Dec 01 - 09:24 PM

This may be a real dumb question but I don't know the answer. My (5)CD player/changer won't play anything. The turntable is full of dust. I used "canned air" and it moved some of it, but not all, esp. the mess below the part that actually holds the CD's. Severak times when I squirted the air, I got nothing but the "carrier".

Can I use liquid/spray glass cleaner (i.e. Windex) on the CD slots? How do I clean the underneath part below the "turntable"?

It's an "all in one" main console unit, if that helps.

Bear in mind that it may just be that I am too ignorant to know how to run my own CD player.......

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: ddw
Date: 12 Dec 01 - 09:36 PM

Sorcha,

Winging it without any real experience in this thing, it would seem to me that a slightly damp cloth would be a better bet than any kind of spray. I would wipe out the CD retaining circles and allow them to dry completely, then get a lens-cleaner kit (a thing that looks like a CD with little brushes on it and some solvent) and run it through a couple of times. See what that does for you.

Good luck,

david

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Gypsy
Date: 12 Dec 01 - 10:30 PM

Cleaning that lens will make all the difference in the world. Handsome mando player uses a long q tip, and cleans just like he would the head on a tape deck.

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Dec 01 - 05:48 AM

If it is an Aiwa I know from experience it may not be the lens - They use a cable to attach the tray to the main body and with use the cable flexes and breaks. May happen on others too - cost me 20 quid (UK pounds) to get it fixed and they serviced it as well - a lot cheaper than a new one!

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Dec 01 - 09:53 AM

uhh, where is the lens and how do I get to it? I can liberate a long q-tip from the Dr. office.

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: MichaelM
Date: 13 Dec 01 - 11:26 AM

a friend of mine vacuums out her cd loading platterand tries to suck out as much dust from the interior as possible. It works for her!

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Devilmaster
Date: 13 Dec 01 - 11:34 AM

If your not really sure how to do things, dont use any liquid on the lens.
There are cd cleaners for sale that would do the job. Its an actual cd that you play and it cleans the lens. I own one that has little brushes on it, and track 1 is the instructions. just play it, and it cleans it.
It you get liquid on the lens, and it smears, you'll probably have to replace it. And if your not careful, if you press too hard with a q-tip, the cardboard edge might scratch the lens.

If you want, send me a private mail with your email addy, and I'll send some jpegs of what my cd cleaner looks like.

Steve

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Gypsy
Date: 14 Dec 01 - 11:07 AM

He's right.....the handsome mando player does all the electronic stuff in the household, cuz he likes doing it. You can also try opening up the tray, and just blow HARD. If that helps, even for a short time, good bet that the lens is dirty. We have a 300 foot mud driveway (a dust driveway in summer) so it is a real problem here.

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Dec 01 - 11:53 AM

The lens-cleaning CD's seem to work best for me. if you look on rthe bottom, you'll see a row of tiny brushes that brush the lens as the CD plays - they come out full of dust after use, so it looks like they do quite a job. Using canned air can blow dust into places where you don't want it, and can cause freezing condensation that may do damage - vacuuming is a better alternative, but tiny vacuums for tech stuff are kind of expensive.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 14 Dec 01 - 12:05 PM

In the UK Argos & similar shops sell a CD cleaning kit, (a CD with the little brushes on) for about 5 pounds.

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Dec 01 - 12:22 PM

Hey, Gypsy! WE'VE got a 300 foot mud/dust driveway too! And it used to be even worse -- before they paved the road. It's not just keeping the dust, etc. (lots of etceteras including cat hair, of course, leaves, ashes in the winter, etc.) out of the CD player, but out of the house in general. Losing battle. Sigh.

Linn

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Devilmaster
Date: 15 Dec 01 - 09:40 AM

refresh cause she never replied.

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Dec 01 - 11:27 AM

The stupid thing worked just fine when I asked Kate's friend (male) about it........I did vacum it but it still wouldn't work until a male was present..........I still don't know where the lens is (male said waaaay back inside) so I am not going to try to mess with it. If it acts up again I will take it to the Fix It man and have it cleaned.

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 15 Dec 01 - 11:30 AM

try a CD cleaner, it will be a lot cheaper.

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Gypsy
Date: 15 Dec 01 - 01:48 PM

Those cleaners really are handy. Also, check where it lives in your house. With the dust here, we try to keep everything under cover. I hate antimicassars,but they sure do the trick. Hey Batgoddess, you wanna send your paved road my way? 'Round here, we call paving "gravel"

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Devilmaster
Date: 15 Dec 01 - 01:50 PM

chalk one up for the men around the house!

Woo Woo!

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 15 Dec 01 - 02:15 PM

DO NOT use canned air to blow stuff INTO your electronics! Canned air is supposed to be used once you've completely removed the outer case, to blow stuff OUT of the beast... leaving the case on and blowing air in will just make a bad situation worse...

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: GUEST,Dave bolie
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 05:47 PM

I have a RCA RS 1285 any idea wat i need to do to clean the lenz?

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: Dave Roberts
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 12:31 PM

The problem with CD cleaners is that sometimes the lens is TOO dirty to play the CD cleaner CD (if you follow me).
The thing to do in such a case is to bite the bullet, clean the lens with a Q-Tip (this sometimes involves drastic dismantling of the equipment) and then never again allow the lens to get so dirty that it can't be cleaned with a CD cleaner. Or something like that.

Subject: RE: Help! How to Clean CD Player/Changer
From: HiHo_Silver
Date: 05 Jun 08 - 10:16 AM

Would suggest you use a CD cleaning Disc first to clean the lense etc. If you still have problems with sticky tray etc. then try spraying it out well with an electronic contact cleaner. Available at Radio Shack in an aersol spray can. This could save you dismanteling the unit, If this fails I would suggest a qualified Tech. You can do extensive damage if you are not experienced, Be very cautious inserting items such as Q tips in the machine.