Several people here have done it. Not to brag, but my players are kept in such dust-free, pristine condition I've never had to clean them. I would use a small bottle of compressed air and point it at the player's internal components (that is, after you remove the cover!). And when the...
Which means you have let dust accumulate on it. What's on top of the unit eventually seeps inside it. Dust is insiduous. I suspect the player's innards, especially the laser assembly, are dirty and need cleaning. Never let dust accumulate anywhere on a DVD player.