How to clean the CD-laser lenses? With alcohol or without alcohol?

[fonon]

Hi,
How to clean the CD-laser lenses? With alcohol or without alcohol? There are different opinions on this.
Regards,
f.

[bear]

don't "clean".

if the unit is mistracking (skipping, etc.) it is almost certainly NOT dirt on the lens. Unless maybe you have it in a wood shop or dumped baby powder on it...

_-_-bear

[stephensank]

NEVER alcohol or any other fluids. Simply fog the lens with breath, then gently spin a cotton swab sideway on the lens surface. But you can first check with a magnifying glass if the lens does not look clean.

[oshifis]

The moving part is just a lightweight plastic lens that is moved by the solenoids in front of the fixed laser. You can clean the top of the lens, but it is difficult to access its bottom surface and the laser itself.

[SoNic_real_one]

In houses where they smoke inside, the smoke is depositing on the top lens and it does not come off without alcohol - isopropyl alcohol that is.
For regular dust - gently clean the top part (where the dust settles) with a cotton swab. Gentle pressure or you will break it!

[fonon]

The vintage units need often deep cleaning. I used successful isopropyl alcohol in the past, but I heard also negative opinions. Some peoples claim that alcohol can damage plastic lenses or wash off anti-reflex coating. What do You think about? It's true or myth? What laser units are alcohol-proof? In what cases an alcohol is avoided?
f.

[SoNic_real_one]

Isopropyl alcohol doesn't leave residues. Being a non-polar molecule it will NOT disolve ant plastic parts (they are soluble only in polar solvents like acetone).
As for "coatings", those are camera lenses, there no need for antireflex coatings. Those coatings are there in cameras because you can take pictures against the source of light (sun). Is no the case inside an optical player, so they are not coated.

[DigitalJunkie]

I've always used Isopropyl Alcohol (70-99%) and it's never made anything worse.

[fonon]

Originally Posted by SoNic_real_one

IThose coatings are there in cameras because you can take pictures against the source of light (sun). Is no the case inside an optical player, so they are not coated.

This is Your knowledge or supposition (on laser lenses, not camera lenses)? The conclusion is going too far. Personally, I don't claim that the lenses are coated, but it's possible. Of course, the reason would be different.
Regards,
f.

[SoNic_real_one]

I didn't see any coatings on my laser lensed that I replaced. I can easily see the coatings on the camera lens and filters (they have a different colour).

In the datasheets there is no mention of coating, just "single sheet aspherical plastic lens".