A question about the plastic on the keepcases? (1 Viewer)

[StephenA]

I've only been collecting DVDs for 16 months. I've noticed alot of DVD keepcase plastic surrounding the cover have become cloudy. It happened to mainly ones I've had a few months, to the ones i got during Christmas of 2000. Is this normal? It's not making it so I can't read the paper or anything. Just wondering what it is.

 

[Cees Alons]

It's not on mine, so I guess it's unusual.

Did you do anything out of the ordinary with those cases?

Cees

 

[StephenA]

No. I just keep them in a cabinet when I'm not using the discs in them. I don't know how to explain it, except the plastic is clouded with "white", but it's not hugely noticeable. I notice it more if I take the paper out and look at the plastic near a light source.

 

[Eric Walsh]

I noticed this as well with some of my cases. Mainly ones that I got used from places. Some are scuff marks from rubbing on things. And what about dust? Do you live in a dusty house. I think dust may get on the inside of the plastic and cause that clouding you are referring to. At least that has been my experience.

-Eric

 

[StephenA]

I live in an old house with alot of animals. The house goes through a period of humid spells and dry spells. There's a swamp in my back yard that sometimes floods out my cellar, which accounts for alot of the humid spells during the spring. Those things could be part of the problem. I sometimes find one of my cats in the cabinet, and have to chase him out. He gets in through the back where you can fit a whole bunch of wires and I guess to air it out, and lays on the bottom, where my DVDs aren't. The DVDs are the top 3 shelves, about 18 inches from the bottom. I only bought 2 used DVDs, Lawrence Of Arabia(which doesn't have the problem because it's not in a plastic keepcase), and Me Myself and Irene(which does have the problem due to being bought at a rental store).

 

[Cees Alons]

Did you try to clean one (outside and inside) - carefully of course?

Perhaps first remove the disc and the artwork and then try to clean it with a soft paper wetted with warm water or a bit of methylalcohol (spirit). Nothing aggressive.

Try to see if it looks scratched or sort of sanded.

Cees

 

[StephenA]

I just checked a couple cases and they look worn. Could be from me looking through my DVDs and moving them, marking up the plastic. It doesn't look scratched, just stained/worn.

 

[MaxY]

Wow I have over 1500 DVDs now and the only time I noticed any clouding like you descrive it was nothing more then dust that was wiped away with a dry rag.

Max

 

[MattHR]

I believe what you are experiencing may be known as "out-gassing". The plastic sleeve of the dvd may emit some of its properties when exposed to temperature changes, humidity and reactions to the ink in the printed insert.

I've had laserdiscs where the plastic cover has actually

become "stuck" to the printed disc jacket due to this problem. It's very important to keep the discs in a dry, cool environment. Humidity is not friendly to any media.