Hints from Heloise

Dear Readers: Don’t toss a scratched CD until you try my homemade scratch remedy.

Many scratches can be wiped away with ordinary white toothpaste. Gel will not work, so be sure to use only plain white toothpaste and follow these steps:

• Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto a clean sock or any cloth that is lint-free.

• On the shiny, nonlabeled side, rub the toothpaste on the CD, starting from the inside of the CD and working outward like the spokes of a wheel. Remember, wipe it on inside out, never back and forth.

• Once the entire underside is coated, take a clean, dry part of the sock and wipe away the toothpaste, again using spokelike strokes – from inner edge to outer edge.

• Don’t use water. Just continue wiping until the paste is gone.

This process works great for minor scratches on DVDs and game CDs, too. – Heloise