•  Don’t touch the surface of the disc, handle it only by the outer edges or center hole. If dirt, dust or fingerprints do get on the disc, clean it by wiping with a clean cotton fabric in a straight line from the center of the disc toward the outer edge.

•  Don’t use a pen, pencil, or any marker that contains solvents to write on the disc. Instead, use a non-solvent based felt-tip permanent marker (such as a Sharpie) to mark the label side of the disc. Don’t write or mark in the data area of the disc (the bottom area that the laser reads).

•  Don’t expose discs to extremely high heat or humidity, extremely rapid temperature or humidity changes or prolonged sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet light (i.e. don’t leave them in a car or by a window that gets sun). Instead, store them in a cool, dry, dark environment in which the air is clean. For long-term storage, it is generally recommended to store discs at temperatures greater than 39 degrees and less than 68 degrees.

•  Don’t open a recordable disc package until you’re ready to record it. Instead, leave discs in their packaging (or cases) to minimize the effects of environmental changes. Check the disc surface before recording.