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[TI82]

I have a couple of PS3 and Gamecube controllers with sticky triggers/buttons. If i lick the button and blow on it it comes unstuck for a while but that's annoying and questionably unsanitary.

So would opening it up, spraying with isopropyl alcohol, and using a toothbrush to further scrape out extra gunk be the best bet?

 

[alr1ght]

If i lick the button and blow on it it comes unstuck for a while but that's annoying and questionably unsanitary.

take them apart and wash them like dishes.

 

[Wensih]

I use a knife, q-tips, and alcohol. The knife is to get the dead skin/dirt out of the cracks.

 

[Tenebrous]

Faceplates off, isopropyl alcohol and a few cotton buds/cloths.

 

[Dombrowski]

.. you lick the buttons?

 

[out0v0rder]

I use a knife, q-tips, and alcohol. The knife is to get the dead skin/dirt out of the cracks.

i just use a toothbrush from the .99c store instead of knife or qtips. yes to the alchohol though.

 

[EBE]

take them in the shower with you.

 

[AkuMifune]

take them in the shower with you.

They fit right into your taint! win/win

 

[Triggerhappytel]

It's not an odd question. I usually find a combination of a wet wipe and old toothbrush works best. I don't do I nearly as often as I should though.

 

[TI82]

It's not an odd question. I usually find a combination of a wet wipe and old toothbrush works best. I don't do I nearly as often as I should though.

I use a knife, q-tips, and alcohol. The knife is to get the dead skin/dirt out of the cracks.

Thanks gents

 

[Shauni]

If i lick the button and blow on it it comes unstuck for a while but that's annoying and questionably unsanitary.

That isn't questionable at all.

 

[Wensih]

That isn't questionable at all.

Ehhh... It's debatable.

 

[TI82]

Ehhh... It's debatable.

I mean if I already eat my fingernails then there's really not much difference.

 

[adamantypants]

take them apart and wash them like dishes.

Not sure if joking, but I actually do this. Once you get the electronics out of there everything else gets washed with dish soap.

 

[SerTapTap]

I just bathe them in my own sweat

I use a knife, q-tips, and alcohol. The knife is to get the dead skin/dirt out of the cracks.

Really though yeah I do this, though I use a bent paper clip for the cracks. And if my DS4 triggers start squeaking I spray alcohol based body spray down 'em, usually fixes it but it seems like it comes back. Taking them apart seems to damage the springs too often so I'm not brave enough to try and clean 'em internally.

 

[Wensih]

I mean if I already eat my fingernails then there's really not much difference.

You go to town on those nails.

 

[kingwingin]

take them apart and wash them like dishes.

perfect reaction gif. I laughed for 5 minutes straight.

Licking the controller is disgusting, just unscrew the front plate and wash it

 

[sixteen-bit]

Not sure if joking, but I actually do this. Once you get the electronics out of there everything else gets washed with dish soap.

I do something similar. I have a little container to wash all the parts in.

 

[RealityCheque]

Do you have a bidet in your bathroom?

Because I have an idea....

 

[TI82]

Do you have a bidet in your bathroom?

Because I have an idea....

I do!

 

[InsaneTiger]

You had me at "i lick the buttons"...........................um why?

 

[Easy_D]

Maybe some high pressure spray used for cleaning electrics?

 

[Duxxy3]

This is already gold.

Take them apart. Clean all of the opening for buttons, analog and dpad. Pop out the buttons, analogs and dpad and clean them as well.

Don't use your tongue to clean any of this. Use a hand towel, a qtip, a micro fiber cloth.

 

[Rich!]

Take it apart. Fill a sink with soapy water. Use an old toothbrush.

Sorted.

 

[Dr. Black Jack]

Your best bet is to buy security bits, take the whole controller apart and then wash each piece individually.

If you're in a hurry/can't take them apart just put 90% isopropyl alcohol directly in the button crack and work it into the gunk. It shouldn't mess up your controller since it dries so quickly (hasn't for me in 12 years of doing it), but have the controller off just in case. After a few applications it should fix itself or get better.

 

[Shauni]

I mean if I already eat my fingernails then there's really not much difference.

There's not much difference if you never wash your hands maybe.

...you wash your hands, right?

 

[Hipster Cthulhu]

A shower of Wotsits.

 

[Storm Kyleis]

I... I think I'll bring my own controllers everywhere from now on.

 

[TI82]

There's not much difference if you never wash your hands maybe.

...you wash your hands, right?

 

[Ivan Amiibo]

if i were rich, I'd hire people to do it for me. It's kind of a time consuming process to do it right, eh?

 

[Goodacre0081]

stop licking your controllers. take them apart to clean them like a normal human

 

[Lumination]

A shower of Wotsits.

I actually shivered.

 

[Sword Familiar]

If i lick the button and blow on it it comes unstuck for a while but that's annoying and questionably unsanitary.

 

[HORRORSHØW]

lysol wipes

 

[emb]

Most effective thing for me is to just open them up, that way I can usually get into the crevices and such with a Q-tip. Rubbing alcohol helps sometimes too. I also have one of those dental picks, it (in tandem with a cotton swab) can be convenient for getting gunk out of tight spots, but can leave scratches if you aren't careful.

The toothbrush you mentioned sounds like a good idea too.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

If its a quick clean ill get a chux wipe slightly dampened with water and methylated spirits which removes oils and grime. I then use the corner of the chux to wrap around each analog stick and wring around to get rid of the plastic grind residue.

The PS4 and Xbox One controllers don't need the toothpick around the joins like the PS3 and 360 controllers do.

Wii remotes are in jackets so they just get a microfiber cloth polish.

My 360 and PS3 controllers very rarely get taken apart. The dust also comes out of the One and DS4 controller joins just blowing hard into them.

 

[d00d3n]

I have two things that I do.

1. I remove the white dust buildup on the shafts of the analog sticks regularly. (started this behaviour in the n64 age due to failing analog sticks)
2. I don't mix using the controller and touching messy foods/snacks with my hands.*

*So if I eat something like that I would wash my hands before playing again.

 

[RealityCheque]

I do!

Wow, when I wrote that I thought the odds would be pretty small. So...do you...use it...for...personal cleanliness??

 

[Madness]

Q-tips, isopropyl alcohol or electronics cleaner/keyboard cleaning solution, a small needle (be careful not to scratch anything). That's pretty much it for me. Never had to open a controller once in almost 25+ years of gaming.

 

[chrisPjelly]

I'll never get people who DIRECTLY lick their hands (or the item in need of cleaning; the controller in this case) instead just using their spit. Mind you, the latter isn't significantly better if you want to CLEAN something.

 

[TI82]

Wow, when I wrote that I thought the odds would be pretty small. So...do you...use it...for...personal cleanliness??

Of course.

 

[Shin-Ra]

A shower of Wotsits.