Controller cleaner.

8bitpill

8bitpill

Member
I'm looking for a cleaning kit for my PS5 controllers, along with other small electronic peripherals.

I've found quite a few while searching online but was wondering if anyone had good suggestions on which ones they might use and find the best?

Thanks for your time in advance.
 
I usually spray a paper towel with windex and wipe them down. It was mainly to dust them off, i dont eat while playing games. Also use windex to clean my monitors and tv. Some people are against it and idk why.
 
i typically use one spritz of kitchen surface cleaner or windex on a folder paper towel, then just rub the controller down with it, flip the towel to the dry side and wipe again.
tooth picks for getting into those gross seams and triggers.
 
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El Muerto said:
I usually spray a paper towel with windex and wipe them down. It was mainly to dust them off, i dont eat while playing games. Also use windex to clean my monitors and tv. Some people are against it and idk why.
Click to expand...
Ammonia and alcohol in Windex can eat away at the filter layer causing permeant discoloration.
 
I also do the paper towel + windex, but in a pinch I use hand sanitizer and a napkin on my phone screen and that expanded to the Switch, then the joycon too because why not. Yeah, there's probably some moisturizer in there in addition to the alcohol but whatever, it works.
 
Girl Spit GIF by Jess Stempel
 
Another vote for alcohol pads. I use them to clean all of my electronics: keyboards, mice, earbuds, phones, controllers.

It cleans really well and alcohol evaporates quickly, minimizing potential damage to electronics. The absolute best.
 
El Muerto said:
I usually spray a paper towel with windex and wipe them down. It was mainly to dust them off, i dont eat while playing games. Also use windex to clean my monitors and tv. Some people are against it and idk why.
Click to expand...
I think it depends on the screen material. If the screen is glass you'll have no problems, but polycarbonate (basically plastic) screens can become really smudgy and dirty looking from using anything but water and a microfiber rag.
 
for outside a little bit of this "Veja" ll make your controller white again ( if it is a white controller ) is great for dry clean white shoes too.
 
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Honestly.....

No alcohol

Just spritz a rag with warm mildly soapy water. No water at all on the controller, only on the rag. Wipe off the controller.

Undiluted rubbing alcohol on your controllers may damage certain types of plastic surfaces causing them to become tacky, weakened, or they may even crack(translucent buttons may see this more often). Rubber surfaces may also be affected. Nothing rubbing alcohol can remove cannot also be removed from your controller with warm soapy water used in moderation on the rag. There is never a need to put liquid directly on your controller. Never put liquid directly on your controller or TV or console. Apply it to the cleaning apparatus in moderation not the device. If the wipe down doesn't get it done, you can also use canned air, a battery powered air gun designed for electronics(be sure to ground yourself first), or a q-tip and simply wipe the dust away. Be careful with the q-tip that you don't add more debris than you remove. A standard coffee filter can make a good lint free cloth in a pinch. If your controller has issues with internal contacts, such as joycon drift, contact cleaner may be deployed by a professional(not you). Enjoy!

PS: Liquid directly on your device may be able to flow. Flowing liquid can find contacts which can cause shorts. Apply liquid only to the rag in moderation not the surface to be cleaned. The rag should be damp and not wet. You should not be able to squeeze flowing liquid from the rag. No standing or flowing liquid should ever be on your electronic devices. Always remove power from the device before cleaning. Don't clean unnecessarily. DO NOT use these procedures to clean your games or any internals of a console, TV, or controller.
 
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Zacfoldor said:
Honestly.....

No alcohol

Just spritz a rag with warm mildly soapy water. No water at all on the controller, only on the rag. Wipe off the controller.

Undiluted ribbing alcohol on your controllers may damage certain types of plastic surfaces causing them to become tacky. Rubber surfaces may also be affected. Nothing rubbing alcohol can remove cannot also be removed from your controller. There is never a need to put liquid directly on your controller. Never put liquid directly on your controller or TV. Apply it to the cleaning apparatus in moderation not the device. If the wipe down doesn't get it done, you can also use canned air, a battery powered air gun designed for electronics, or a q-tip. If your controller has issues with internal contacts, such as joycon drift, contact cleaner may be deployed by a professional(not you). Enjoy!
Click to expand...
Horrible uneducated answer. Soapy water dries too slowly and will kill the controller if it gets inside. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol is used for electronics for a reason and also disinfects better. Your advice is pure arrogance and uneducated. The fact you claim it makes things feel tacky alone proves how full of bs you are.
 
Just a bit of soap and water with a paper towel. One of my friends has perpetually sticky hands (even after he washes them) and I have to clean my controllers often.

Just put a tiny bit of hand soap on a damp paper towel, then wipe it off with a second damp paper towel. Don't let the paper towel be wet enough to get inside and you're fine. Ezpz

I also tend to use medical isopropyl wipes when I just need to spot clean it. Those also work great.
 
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Yamisan said:
Horrible uneducated answer. Soapy water dries too slowly and will kill the controller if it gets inside. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol is used for electronics for a reason and also disinfects better. Your advice is pure arrogance and uneducated. The fact you claim it makes things feel tacky alone proves how full of bs you are.
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Jesus dude. Chill out.
 
I clean my mice and keyboard with some regularity because of dust & food particles, but never/seldom the controllers.
Feels like controllers used to be greasier back in the days, maybe hands get drier with age.
 
Kinda depends on how dirty your controllers are.

I wash my hands before using them and never eat greasy snacks so typically an alcoholic wipe will clean the controller just fine.
 
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iamvin22 said:
Wtf you for real?!?
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1000% but it's fine. I'm a single player gamer and growing up, none of us died or anything lol

Germ exposure is healthy. I drop food on the floor and eat it too. Also was kidding on the Cheetos and such. I don't eat and game. Maybe as a kid. Not now
 
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Outside of cleaning the dogshit analog modules when you have the Tokyo Drift, there's no need to clean the inside of a controller. If you do need to remove the drift, 99% rubbing alcohol and qtip will do. To remove the outside smegma, i've been using dollar store baby wipes for a few years, and this shit has been perfect. $1 for like 66 wipes, and its great to clean your mouse, keyboard, controllers, and all of this shit.
 
cinnamonandgravy said:
isopropyl rubbing alcohol and q-tips
toothpicks to break away built-up grime in tight spaces

avoid using on stickers or displays; instead just use water + paper towel
Click to expand...
That's the way to go. And if you really want to deep clean the stuff, disassemble it and clean it in a bucket with dishwasher soap and an old toothbrush. That's what I did a few times with my Dualshock 3.
 
I just use a damp washcloth for my controllers since it's mostly just surface level dirt. You shouldn't be too scared of using water as long you disconnect any power/battery and let it dry off properly.

Someone joked about using the dishwasher but this is a real thing that some people do. I had the same keyboard for 15+ years and always just put it in the washer until I broke one of the pins.
 
cinnamonandgravy said:
isopropyl rubbing alcohol and q-tips
toothpicks to break away built-up grime in tight spaces

avoid using on stickers or displays; instead just use water + paper towel
Click to expand...


I was about to suggest rubbing alcohol. I've always used it to clean my controllers. And a pin to get all the grime out from between the shut line around the controller.
 
I use paint thinner. It removes all the stains. Oddly about a week later they always seem to break guess they are not as durable as the switch 1 Joycons.
 
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