How to clean lens in CD head unit?

[C///M]

My Kenwood eXcelon (can't remember model offhand...) headunit is becoming increasingly less able to play CDs. Just about all of my CD's skip badly if they play at all, so I'm thinking maybe the lens needs some cleaning after two years of use.

The instructions say that I need to have the unit professionally cleaned (I think they even say that I have to send it back to Kenwood), but I'd rather not go through the expense if there's a way I can do it myself.

Will one of those CD cleaner kits work? Or will the tiny brushes get caught up when I insert the disc, since it's not a tray-style the way a home CD player is?

Thanks for any suggestions!

[bmw328iproject]

When I had my first head unit I used one of the disc cleaners and it worked fine. I don't know if it is good for the head unit though.

[kevin7909]

it isnt...i went through this in a thread sometime ago...do a search and u might find it... use 'alcohol' (i dont remember if thats how i spelled it) as a search parameter...
Kevin

[Silverbullet]

a used a cd with brushes and it worked fine

[kevin7909]

you are fortunate..i have had those things totally mess up teh alignment on multiple alpines/one toyota head/one panasonic head...u might be ok but i dont use em anymore...i guess i just had a bad time with em...
Kevin

[C///M]

Hmm...thanks for the replies I found that thread; maybe I'll try with some compressed air first, then one of those cleaning discs, but it sounds like my headunit is probably a goner, anyway. Maybe it's time for a CD-R/MP3 capable unit. Now, if I only had a job...

[kevin7909]

let us know how it turns out...
Kevin

[Preppy]

Beh, my headunit still skips. I'm thinking about ditching it altogether and getting an LCD screen and whatnot.

Compressed air didn't work and I'm too afraid to use the discs with brushes....

Let us know how it turns out dude.

[C///M]

Ok, I tried compressed air, but it seemed to make things worse. I could barely get some of my CDs to play.

Then, having nothing to lose, I tried a CD cleaning disc. It's made by Maxell, model CD-340. I followed the instructions, then tried one of my discs. It had consistent skips at 8 seconds and 58 seconds of track one, but now it plays just fine, skip-free.

It seems to have worked for me. Judging from other people's experiences, I'll only use it as a last resort, but at least it is an option...

[Preppy]

Looks like I'll go pick me up one of those this weekend

[kevin7909]

sweet...i usually open up the players and use a cotton swab with alcohol(i think i mentioned this in the thread i spoke of) but if the cleaning kit works for u then GREAT...
Kevin

[C///M]

Originally posted by kevin7909
sweet...i usually open up the players and use a cotton swab with alcohol(i think i mentioned this in the thread i spoke of) but if the cleaning kit works for u then GREAT...
Kevin

Yup, I would have tried that, too, but my headunit has this bizarre extra piece that I couldn't get to fit in the dash when I tried installing the unit myself, and I'd rather not pay for installation a second time

[kevin7909]

ahh....gotcha ...it woulda worked..i like to do it because using a magnifying glass and a good flashlight can pretty much be sure its perfectly clean and can inspect other parts also...just part of my fastidiousness i guess.....i dont blame u tho...save money wherever u can!!!
Kevin