Cleaning Video Game Systems And Accessories - Tips - Technical Support Discussions on Delay of Game

Wick · Post edited by Rajio at 2012-05-16 14:52:12

I wanted to post here, in order to see what you guys use to clean your video game equipment. Controllers, handhelds and peripherals, although mainly the first two.

I try to dust my systems at least once per month, and use eyeglass wipes to wipe down my controllers. However, since I wash my hands a few times before playing and use a lot of soap in general, my main 360 controller gets sticky from the Dove soap mixing with hand sweat while gaming. Wanting to get rid of that (Lysol wipe?) and remove the crud that's stuck inside of the cracks. I tried a toothpick, but it was too big.

Also wondering what to use to:

- Dust 3DS (screens too) completely without leaving marks or scratches. I have some smudges on the screen, as I've used my finger the past few times, but I hate doing that. Plus, one game required a finger scanner, which prompted me to put an index finger on the bottom screen a few times.

- Wipe smudges off of Vita without harming it or using anything with even a hint of liquid inside of it.

Wick

Also: Any tips regarding getting the joystick chalk out without making a mess?

Juxtapose

Well for the first two, I quickly vacuum my primary Controller about once a month, mainly to get dust out of the Thumbstick wells. Otherwise, I just rub off sweat and any grime, which mainly builds up where my Chatpad connects. I remove it on occasion for a better clean.

For my Xbox 360 Pro console, I lightly dust it once a month, and twice a year I use a tissue with a bit of Windex on it to polish the chrome DVD tray cover and the chrome on my 120 GB HDD.

That's it for me!

Wick

Thanks for the tips. I might try vacuuming. However, I'm going to test out another method I just read about first: wetting a Q-tip and rubbing it around the joystick ball to get the white dust out. If that doesn't work, I'll try our vacuum's extension.

The polishing idea is a good one as well. I've never wiped off the eject button on my Elite, and I've had it for a few years. There are a few aged fingerprints on there which I just recently noticed.

That system has impressed me given the 360's failure rate. There have been a few times where I've expected it to conk out, but it hasn't. It sounds like a vacuum mixed with a jet engine, but it's still going.

MSQGanner

I usually use a dry cloth (swiffer) to undust my console vents preventing lint from getting into the vent holes and once in a while i use a bit (not enough to be wet though) of windex on a lint-free cloth to clean both the controllers and the console itself

the1npc

I only dust clean my pc via compressed air
my 360 though is never cleaned, maybe I`d start if it was a new shiny black one

Juxtapose

Wick said:

The polishing idea is a good one as well. I've never wiped off the eject button on my Elite, and I've had it for a few years. There are a few aged fingerprints on there which I just recently noticed.

Just remember not to spray the Windex on the console, but on the cloth and make sure it's simply damp. Don't want anything getting into the console.

Wick

@Juxtapose

Yeah, for sure. I'd never do that, but thanks for the warning anyways.

Rajio

great thread idea. i find i have to clean game controllers very often. i am usually quite thorough, getting anything out from all the crevaces, in teh buttons, cleaning the surfaces, etc. i hate gunky gross looking controllers. its great when they feel like new though.

i clean my kb and mouse often too. i touch these things so much its pretty gross to not clean them imo.

for general wipe downs i usually use a surface cleaner with a paper towel really. simple and effective

MSQGanner

For my KB and mouse i use Cyber Clean compound. It's a gooey lemon scented product that can be found at Walmart for less than $10 and it works great to get in places too small for your fingers/cloth to get in.

Rajio

never tried it but that stuff seems gross

Wick · Post edited by Wick at 2012-04-23 11:15:35

I bought some more Lysol wipes last night, so I'm going to try that on my controller tonight. Plus the aforementioned Q-Tip technique.

Hoping to clean up all three of my 360 controllers to nearly new condition (there's some gunk on them and the annoying joystick dust,) as opposed to spending money on a new one. I'm cheap.

I don't eat while I play video games, so at least I don't have to worry about that. But, the amount I wash my hands and with the type of soap (Dove because it doesn't dry my skin out like others,) ends up being close to as bad with its included moisturizer.

Rajio

well the natural oils and stuff from your skin builds up too. doesn't matter how clean your hands are.

Juxtapose

Rajio said:

i clean my kb and mouse often too. i touch these things so much its pretty gross to not clean them imo.

I should do that too, actually, I just never bother anymore. My keyboard is so old and grimy now; the "S" and "A" keys are still faded from too many games of Warcraft III: Reign of Chao.

MSQGanner

Rajio said:
never tried it but that stuff seems gross

When i first used that compound i thought it'd be gross too but it actually feels more like a cold soft rubber than a gross slimey compound. And it's lemon scented.

Wick

Any tips for dusting 3DS (or DS) screens without causing scratches? Both of my screens have dust on them, but I'm against using my shirt and don't like those eyeglass soft cloths unless they're new. They end up moving a lot of the dust around.

Rajio

i have a collection of microfiber cloths I use.

Wick

I'm going to try using a family member's microfiber lens cleaning cloth. Just ran it under hot water for a few moments to clean it off. Hopefully it'll get at least 90% of the dust off.

Rajio

I just went through my keyboard & mouse with a q-tip and cleaning solution. aaah so fresh and so clean.

Juxtapose

Rajio said:
I just went through my keyboard & mouse with a q-tip and cleaning solution. aaah so fresh and so clean.

My keyboard still has a new strain of spores, mold, and fungus growing in it.

Rajio

I'm using one of these, so crud cant really get between the keys. everything stays on the surface.

Juxtapose

@Rajio I've had the same keyboard for about 10 years.

Smoreninja

I'm using a new keyboard which came with my computer. I like it.

Ninja_Starz

Once every 2 months or so, i line up all my remotes, phones, controllers, and keyboard, pull out the giant dirt devil vacuum with brush attachment and give them a nice vacuum. Works like a charm. And if they get really scummy, ill pull out the toothpick and do the creases. Rubbing alcohol is reserved for some of my nasty friends who never wash there hands. "Dude, my ps3 controller smells like ketchup!!".

I would avoid that neon green putty they sell at Radioshack, as i find it doesnt work well, and leaves a tiny film. The vacuum with brush attachment is where its at baby!!

GaussianMist

By neon green putty, do you mean this stuff? I was thinking about buying a jar.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/b88d/

Ninja_Starz

@Gaussian
Yup. Still have the stuff at home. I bought it for 5$ though. The vacuum works 100x better.

The problem i had with this putty was: it left a slightly wet coating on whatever i used it on. When dust builds, it turns into this grey, gummy icky shit. I noticed it immediately on my keyboard which i try to keep spotless. It started showing up on everything else.

Now admitingly, my condo gets dusty. So maybe thats the problem, i dont know.

Juxtapose

Ninja_Starz said:

Now admitingly, my condo gets dusty. So maybe thats the problem, i dont know.

My condo apartment always got extremely dusty very quickly (I dust and an hour later, a small amount of dust is back. After a few days tops, it's like I never dusted :p) as well.

Hoping my house will be different.

GaussianMist

I would think the dust problem would be because your in such a small space, its building up? Isn't dust mainly consisted of your own dead skin?

WhorrorLoLz

Water and soap.

Juxtapose

GaussianMist said:
I would think the dust problem would be because your in such a small space, its building up? Isn't dust mainly consisted of your own dead skin?

Dust is composed of particles of many things (concrete gives it off too, for example).

In my condo I also think it was coming from the vents, lightly over time.

Ninja_Starz

Juxtapose said:

GaussianMist said:
I would think the dust problem would be because your in such a small space, its building up? Isn't dust mainly consisted of your own dead skin?

Dust is composed of particles of many things (concrete gives it off too, for example).

In my condo I also think it was coming from the vents, lightly over time.

I was told it was the carpet. Like Juxt, i can dust in the morning, and by afternoon, its back again.

Ive thought about buying one of those expensive air purifiers, but ive been told it doesnt really do much for dust.

Juxtapose

Ninja_Starz said:

Juxtapose said:

GaussianMist said:
I would think the dust problem would be because your in such a small space, its building up? Isn't dust mainly consisted of your own dead skin?

Dust is composed of particles of many things (concrete gives it off too, for example).

In my condo I also think it was coming from the vents, lightly over time.

I was told it was the carpet. Like Juxt, i can dust in the morning, and by afternoon, its back again.

Ive thought about buying one of those expensive air purifiers, but ive been told it doesnt really do much for dust.

In my condo I had not carpets at all, only laminate flooring.

In terms of air purifiers, I can't comment on those. I did use a allergy filter for my furnace filter, though I'm not really sure if it actually did anything or not.

ReclaimerM3GTR

Well first I turn my washer on, put the soap in and throw my xbox in it, then it runs through a air cycle in the dryer

Nebelleron

Everything in my apartment is coated in dust, and a lot of it is because right now City of Edmonton is doing street sweeping to get rid of all the sand and such that goes on the roads in winter. Not much I can do but ride it out.

I have the Razer MMO mouse, found that the only thing that keeps the gunk out from in between the buttons is a toothbrush rated "soft."

flower_petals

my controllers are manhandled by little ones, playing and watching netflix. you go to press the buttons down and they don't "pop" back up but slowly reach the top. i can only imagine what's in there - how do you clean in the buttons - you can't really drip cleaner in there can you?

Law212

I lent a controller to a friend who has kids and when i got it back it was sticky and the buttons are still a bit sticky. Thats why I never lend anything ot anyone anymore. Especially if they ahve kids.

TimothyWedel

@flower_petals I have had sticky buttons often and it can easily be fixed by spraying Windex straight onto the face of the controller and then wiping it down after a few minutes. This fix usually lasts a couple months.

Rajio

that CAN work (if you let it dry thoroughly afterwards) but then you gotta wonder where is it dripping to. none of that gunk is actually LEAVING the inside. best bet is just to open up the controller (easy) and use a cotton swab to clean off the buttons and casing. thats a bit of work though. but also kindof fun.

Lactos

@flower_petals One of my controllers had a button that would stick pretty much out of the box. I ended up taking it apart and cleaning it that way. It actually works better now than it ever has. It's pretty simple to do, just remember where all the parts go and also be aware that it will void any warranties that the controller may have.

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