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Topic: Need help cleaning a controller

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JonWahlgren

So a while back I spilled apple cider on my Classic Controller Pro and the buttons on the right side (face and shoulder) are very sticky. I've found using a q-tip with hot water loosens them up for a play session but they eventually return to their sticky ways.

Anyone know a good way to clean a controller? I'd rather not have to open it up, so if you've got any other ideas please share. I'm sure I'm not the only one to have mucked up buttons before.

JonWahlgren

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theblackdragon

have you tried using alcohol? that's what i usually use when something gets dirty or sticky. if the cider is down inside the controller, though, opening it up is probably going to be your only option.

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JonWahlgren

Would that actually dissolve the cider or just kinda move it around though?

JonWahlgren

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bboy2970

Well I spilled black cherry kool-aid in mine once and every single botton became very sticky. I would blow in it to get it to work for a session but they would still be sticky. I had planned on one day opening it up and fixing it but because of my profound ability to procrastinate over long periods of time, it ended up sitting on a shelf for about a year and a half. When I finally took a look at it again, the stickyness had worn off! It is now 100% ok. I don't know if you wanna wait a year and a half but there ya go!

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theblackdragon

@Panda: alcohol usually works well for sticky things, though you'll need to be good with a q-tip to get it all off the surface instead of just moving it around. if the stickiness is on the outside or on the sides of the buttons, it should work, but if there's sticky cider down inside the controller, you're probably screwed unless you open it up and clean the buttons really well down beneath the outer shell.

edit: hahaha, or you could totally wait half a year like bboy suggested; by then the cider would probably have dried up completely and flaked away from the inside of your controller :3

Edited on by theblackdragon

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JonWahlgren

I'll have to scope out the alcohol option, but realistically I'll go down the path of bboy from procrastination.

Feels stupid because I haven't ruined a controller since I was like 6 years old. It was a Genesis controller and I was eating too many lollipops while playing Sonic 2.

JonWahlgren

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RowdyRodimus

Cheap cleaners like Mean Green work well. They usually make them in the OXY based formulas now so you have a lot less chemicals that could damage (eat through) the plastic. Even Windex, toothpicks and Q-tips work great.

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Sean_Aaron

I still think opening the controller is the best option. The remote that came with my Japanese Wii has a (DPAD) and (1) and (2) buttons that seem to stick a bit, but in that case whatever's causing is inside. I try not to use that one to play PC Engine games (the only time it's relevant) or other NES-style games, but it happens. I might open it up this weekend and have a go.

Some kind of de-natured alcohol and q-tips or foam tipped cleaning sticks are the way to go as suggested by others.

Edited on by Sean_Aaron

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