Taking Care of Optical Discs

• Don't use a ball point pen to write on an optical disc. The thin layer of metal lies beneath a small amount of plastic and a ball-point pen can go through that layer easily. Instead, use a felt-tip marker.
• Always store discs in the case to avoid scratching
• Never use a post-it note as a label (yep, seen this!); someone might forget to take it off and ruin your optical drive (yep, they did)
• Store discs vertically out of the sun or extreme heat (like in a car)
• Always handle discs by the center hole and outside edges
• Clean with a slightly damp (water or cd cleaner) cloth wiping outwards, not circular so you don't scratch the disc with the debris
• Remove paper inserts from inside the case for long-term storage; they absorb humidity
• Use only room temperature discs; discs that have been exposed to temperature extremes should set for awhile until they come to room temperature.