Fix iPod Screen Scratches

It worked for me.

Quite by accident I found something that worked to remove minor scratches from the screen and face of my iPod Photo.

Yesterday, while not secure in its Otterbox, I accidentally yanked my iPod off my desk. The naked iPod fell on the floor and a pile of CD cases landed on top of it -- scratching the iPod's face and screen in a few places.

Darn. I needed something to fix the screen. I had read about the Brasso and toothpaste fixes. Surely, no toothpaste was ever going near my iPod. The Brasso may shine the back but I am not so sure what the long-term effects would be of a metal polish on the plastic face of an iPod. Who knows? The iPod may one day turn into a wedge of sticky goo.

I had an idea. I wanted something that was formulated to remove scratches from and protect clear plastic. I looked around in my CD junk box and found an old Fellowes CD Scratch Repair Kit. (Compact disks are made of almost pure polycarbonate plastic, a type of plastic commonly used for making clear products such as iPod cases.) The kit is basically a set of two moist wipes. One wipe removes scratches with a very mild solvent that softens the disc surface. The other wipe polishes and protects the disc. Since I have had awesome results restoring CDs with the kit, I figured I'd try it on my iPod.

Here's the fix. I rubbed the iPod face for 15-30 seconds with each wipe, starting with the restoring wipe and finishing with the polishing wipe. Between and after wipes, I buffed the iPod's surface with a soft cloth.

The process removed all but the deepest ding on the white body of the iPod. The screen is unscratched and looks brand new.

I guess you could say the Fellowes kit is a 'two-fer' ... a two for the price of one solution. Not only does the kit give new life to old CDs, it also polishes up my iPod and keeps me from sweating the little scratches that always seem to get on the screen.

EDITOR'S NOTE: It's been three years since I originally authored this article and I am happy to report everything is fine with my now ancient but serviceable iPod. All the minor nicks and scratches I originally removed with the repair kit are still gone; my iPod hasn't melted down into a gooey puck. Best of all, the OtterBox has allowed my iPod to escape unscathed from further damage and the ravages of time. And amazingly, the battery still holds a charge.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you and the hundreds of thousands of folks who have visited the blog to read this post. So here it is: thanks!

The blog has evolved somewhat since 2005 and I no longer post technology topics -- unless they are related to national defense -- as the site has matured into a fully devoted milblog.

--SM

Tags: Computers and Internet, technology, iPod, Apple, iTunes

MAINTAIN THE TENSION: VISIT OUR ADVERTISERS

FEL99763 CD Scratch Repair Kit

TDK Repair and Cleaning Kit

ICLEANER Ultra Pro Kit for iPod or iBook

PodShop iDrops: Cleaner, Polish, Scratch Remover for iPod, iBook, eMac, Power Mac, and iMac

Also check out:

iPod Store at Amazon.com

Sony MDR-EX51LP Fontopia Headphones, (White)

Sony MDR-EX71SL/WK Fontopia Headphones (White)