A DVD cleaning disc, which is usually purchased separately from the DVD player, is a disc that is covered with incredibly fine microfiber bristles. The bristles, situated on the top of the disc, are used to wipe away any dust or grime in the DVD player. These discs are often recommended as the first troubleshooting method when you are trying to repair a DVD player that is having difficulty reading discs.
Issues With the Lens

DVD players work by projecting a laser beam onto a disc as it spins in the machine. The beam's reflection is read through a lens located above the disc drive. When the DVD player begins to have problems, such as skipping or failing to read discs, the most common issue is that the lens is coated in dust or dirt from DVDs that have been inserted into the machine. The DVD cleaning disc swipes the lens to remove the dust and grime.

When a DVD cleaning disc is inserted into a DVD player, the machine reads it as it would a normal DVD and allows the viewer to select a cleaning-cycle option on its main menu. When the disc begins to spin, the raised bristles on the disc dust the lens. The bristles are soft and fine enough not to scratch the lens. Once the DVD cleaning disc has completed its cycle, the lens should be clean enough to read normal DVDs. Any pieces of dust or dirt that are large enough to cause an issue within the machine should be stuck to the bristles on the cleaning disc.