yjwu@unix.cie.rpi.edu (Yeun-Jung Wu) (04/19/91)
Here is a procedure used to clean inexpensive mirror in optics lab: 1) Use duster (a can of clean compressed air) to blow away particles on the surface. 2) Rinse with running water. Gently apply a thin coating of liquid soap using cotton swap. Drag the soap solution around instead of rubbing the surface with the tip. This will prevent it from scratching. Follow the same rule for cleaning CD's: all the motion should be along radial direction. Rinse it again with clean water to remove the soap. NOTE: part 2 is necessary only for the surface with fingerprint etc.... So try this only for the last choice. 3) Use duster (compressed air) to dry the surface. I open my optical disk once but having gone through the wet cleaning yet. The above is only my suggestion. Try it at your own risk! The dust problem is most severe when you have an air humidifier with hard water in it. At high spin velocity the surface of the optical disk could attract a thin coating of particles! So keep the optical disk spinning only when you need to.