Do hand-cleaning products damage CDs and DVDs
 

As said in the question, do you damage DVDs and CDs if you handle them after using hand sanitiser?

Does handwash damage DVDs?
 

Also, does hand wash damage DVDs and CDs?

I ask because even after rinsing you can still have some handwash on your hand so I am wondering if this would be an issue when handing DVDs and CDs, even after your hands have dried out.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

They contain alcohol mainly, so i'd guess it would be OK providing you gently clean the playing surface with a lint free cloth if you've got fingerprints on it.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

I would dilute it first a little as for the soap question I would give that a swerve

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

CD and DVD cleaners are alcohol based so I’d assume not.

---------- Post added at 15:46 ---------- Previous post was at 15:45 ----------

seriously … a thread each for sanitiser and soap? :dozey: Merged.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

Some sanitisers have "moisturising content", probably an oil, that remains on your hands after use. That could transfer to disks if you don't handle them carefully (by the edges only).

Re: Does handwash damage DVDs?
 

Washing hands, for me at least, isn't a new thing, I've been doing it since before I owned CDs, DVDs, Blu Rays, they still seem to work

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

you would be better off with a cap full of vodka

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:


NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO


DON'T YOU DARE.


Drink the stuff, and don't waste it cleaning discs.


:D

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

Thank you for the replies although I'm still unclear as to whether handling discs after washing your hands with handwash - there is always some handwash still on your hands no matter how well you rinse - or using hand sanitiser would damage discs.

---------- Post added at 16:30 ---------- Previous post was at 16:28 ----------

Thank you for the reply and that is my concern because with the best will in the world one is always going to end up touching more than just the edges of a disc which is why I am asking the question.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

you should always handle discs with care and not touch the recorded side as much as possible

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

Isn’t it funny how when they first came out CDs were widely believed to be indestructible, scratch proof, and all sorts of things …. I remember in the 80s an auntie getting a CD player and then washing one of her CDs in the kitchen sink to prove how clever and modern they were.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

Yeah I remember how it was advertised hahahah

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

as do I - the footage of them being smeared with jam on I bleieve Tomrrow's World sticks in the memory.

As Jaymoss said, handle discs with care and I presume that the recorded side is the underside of the disc and the non recorded side is the side with the writing on it?

So to clarify, will handwash on your hands, either dry or damp, cause discs to become damaged?

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

No, it won’t. To damage the disc it would have to either warp, scratch or corrode the plastic, and I very much doubt anything you can put on your hands would be capable of doing that. If it leaves visible smears it may of course fail to play back properly but cleaning it with a soft cloth would fix that.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

I was just about to post saying "I remember a host of Tomorrows World (or was it Blue Peter?) smothering one in jam."

But then I thought, I'd check whether it was TW or BP and googled it.

Seems I was wrong with both!

https://www.orchardoo.com/TWCompactDisc.htm

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

The only reason people remember it as Tomorrows World is because at the time it was a prevalent show. As your link shows it is not a totally false memory just remembered slightly wrong

This is the breakfast show one in full



Looking at the format of that clip you can see how easy it is that it is remembered as Tomorrows World imo

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/i...n-9155238.html

The actual clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMp1pSVxoqw

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

Thank you for the reply.

I am relieved to read that a bit of dried handwash which might not disappear after a thorough rinse will not cause any damage to a CD or DVD.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

Apologies for bringing up an old topic but it has occurred to me whether any soap left in your hands after washing and rinsing can damage CDs and DVDs.

I have noticed that whilst you can easily wash away soap, the 'grease' from the soap stays on your hands and that it is not that easy to fully dry your hands.

I came across his in a Google search which said:

"CDs and DVDs are made from polycarbonate, with a layer of foil (gold or aluminum) protected by a layer of lacquer. That's the same plastic as your eyeglasses!... A mild dish soap that is water-based. Isopropyl alcohol/rubbing alcohol and water - mixed at a rate of 1:1....If you'll be careful to not scratch the disc, the washing itself will not damage the disc. btw, because of the soap can leave some residuals."

This was written in2013 and it's difficult to be sure whether tis way referring to soap which one sues to wash one's hands.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

It'll be fine, just use glasses cleaner and I lint free cloth or ven a paper towel would do for cleaning if need be.But who holds a dvd using their fingers on the main surface, always use the edges and the centre hole.

Maybe it's kids fingerprints though?

Hand sanitiser is not good for us!!

It washes away natural protective layers meant to keep us from sickness.....

Does soap damage CDs/DVDs?
 

To avoid confusion, I thought it best to re-ask the question in its own discussion topic.

I have noticed that whilst you can easily wash away soap, the 'grease' from the soap stays on your hands and that it is not that easy to fully dry your hands.

I came across his in a Google search which said:

"CDs and DVDs are made from polycarbonate, with a layer of foil (gold or aluminum) protected by a layer of lacquer... A mild dish soap that is water-based. Isopropyl alcohol/rubbing alcohol and water - mixed at a rate of 1:1....If you'll be careful to not scratch the disc, the washing itself will not damage the disc. btw, because of the soap can leave some residuals."

It is this protective layer that is mentioned in this article written in 2013 which stops CDs and DVDs being damaged by soap, especially after the soap has been thoroughly rinsed away, thereby leaving greasy hand?.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Re: Does soap damage CDs/DVDs?
 

Why not try it and see? Surely you have some "mistake purchase" or "unwanted gift" CDs/DVDs you never want to play again. I know I certainly do.

Re: Does soap damage CDs/DVDs?
 

CDs are more sensitive to damage as the error correction is not as strong as on DVDs so a CD is the thing to test it on.

Re: Does soap damage CDs/DVDs?
 

Merged [again].
Stop keep asking the same/similar question in multiple topics, one is enough.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

CD's don't last forever. Always a good idea to back them up to a hard drive.

Re: Does soap damage CDs/DVDs?
 

Thank you for your reply.

My concern regarding doing this is that it could damage the device I was playing the disc on.

---------- Post added at 12:30 ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 ----------

I didn't know that.

I guess it comes down to whether there are protective layers on discs and how well they repel dirt of any kind, as well as washing products which are designed for our hands and not for CDs and DVDs.

Re: Does soap damage CDs/DVDs?
 

Yep, regardless of any cleaning products, recordable CDs degrade over time.
Depending on quality, their lifespan could be as short as 20 years. Commercial [eg Music] CDs [should] last a lot longer.

In short, No, a CD/DVD player simply shines a laser at the disk.
They wont be damaged any more than a torch would be if you shined it at one.

Re: Does hand sanitiser damage DVDs?
 

Just found this:

That's a lot longer than your typical hard drive.

I bought my first CDs in 1986, and I haven't noticed any failing yet.

Re: Do hand-cleaning products damage CDs and DVDs
 

Those figures will be best case scenario.
I have CDR's and CDRW that are unreadable and music CD's from the early 90's that are beginning to rot away.

---------- Post added at 10:24 ---------- Previous post was at 09:35 ----------

Apparently there are places you can go to have your CD's repaired, one shop being GAME.


https://helps.game.co.uk/en/support/...74-disc-repair

Re: Does soap damage CDs/DVDs?
 

Thank you for the replies and for informing us that residue does not damage the actual player.

I think what these questions come town to is how CDs and DVDs are protected from all types of products and whether that protective layer protects the contents from things like handwashing products.

---------- Post added at 14:35 ---------- Previous post was at 14:32 ----------

Neither have I, and I bought my first CDs in the early 90s. Yes the odd track on the odd disc doesn't play properly but it's very rare and from memory it's generally the last disc on the CD which has become corrupted over time.

Re: Do hand-cleaning products damage CDs and DVDs
 

CD's hate circumferential scratches as this tends to upset the tracking and make them jump.

I have a polishing kit that will remove them but needs to be used sparingly as it removes some of the lacquer coating.

Re: Do hand-cleaning products damage CDs and DVDs
 

I don't know where this idea of a "lacquer coat" comes from. They have always been a sandwich between polycarbonate layers AFAIK.

Polycarbonate is highly resistant to most chemicals, but not Methyl Alcohol (Methanol).

Some hand sanitisers were found to be contaminated with methanol which cause them to be recalled and destroyed.

Some soaps contain moisturisers to stop the skin drying-out after use.

Re: Do hand-cleaning products damage CDs and DVDs
 

Thank you for both replies.

I presume that this polycarbonate layer is what protects the content of the discs from being damaged when discs come into contact with all manner of different things, including the chemicals (and moisturisers) used in soap and other hand washing/sanitising and products.