With the dusty Saharan winds flowing in Florida, I was worried that my PS5 fans might be getting clogged with dust. It was such a hassle trying to get my hands on a PS5, so I wasn’t going to let some pesky dust ruin my precious console, No Siree!
I was all set to clean, I had all my goodies ready (or what I thought I’d need anyway), my spirits were high and then I realized that I was clueless… yeah, you read that right. I was clueless about where to start! I didn’t know what I was supposed to clean, what to avoid and how to carry out the whole cleaning process.
I researched a bit, and this is what I found out!
How To Clean The PS5? Cleaning a PS5 is not a difficult task, you need to clean the vents and the large 120mm fans that keep the console cool. You can do this by using a handheld vacuum cleaner to suck out the excess dirt. Then you need to clean the exterior of the PS5 with a microfiber cloth and some isopropyl alcohol.
Cleaning a PS5 console is not rocket science but it’s also not as easy as it sounds. Below I’ll outline the cleaning procedure in detail, so read on to learn how to clean a PS5!
What You Will Need
Behind every successful project is a checklist! So, here are some items that you need in your toolbelt before you start cleaning your PS5:
PS5 (duh)
When you have everything ticked off the checklist, you can proceed to the cleaning phase. Let’s get to it!
How To Clean A PS5 Console
The PS5 must be cleaned time and again, if not dust will find its way into the vents and the overall color of the beautiful PS5 may start to turn brown. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean your PS5.
- Make sure your console is switched off. Disconnect the power cord and HDMI, while also making sure there are no devices connected via the USB ports.
- Start cleaning the console superficially– wipe down the main body of the console and make sure you get right into the corners with a soft microfiber cloth. You can clean with a regular cloth too, but if there are rough dust particles on the console’s surface, you risk scratching it.
- Spray 1 – 2 pumps of isopropyl alcohol onto the microfiber cloth and rub your PS5’s exterior. This will make sure that if there is any sticky gunk on the console that it gets softened and cleaned away by the microfiber cloth.
Don’t overspray isopropyl alcohol onto your console body and drench the microfiber cloth in it. Always make sure that every part you rub with alcohol is completely dry (even though alcohol evaporates in a few seconds on its own).
- Locate the air vents of the PS5 console and vacuum with the handheld vacuum. A canister vacuum has high suction power which can damage your console fans, so a handheld vacuum is the best choice for sucking dust bunnies from your console’s vents.
If you don’t have a handheld vacuum cleaner, and you are considering using a generic floor vacuum, take my advice and DON’T do it! You’re better off simply cleaning the dust away with a brush if you don’t have a handheld vacuum.
- Now, it’s time to remove the top covers of your console for some deep cleaning. Find the PlayStation Logo on the top cover of your PS5, slide your fingers around the edge, pull upwards and slide the side in the opposite direction to unhinge the white cover.
Note: If this is your first time taking off your PS5 cover, make sure you record a video of yourself doing it, so putting it back together isn’t so much hassle!
- Do the same procedure on the bottom cover and you will have a fully exposed PS5 console. Don’t worry, removing the covers doesn’t end your warranty, but keep in mind, stripping your console beyond this point and breaking the seals WILL void your warranty.
- Start cleaning your whole console with a microfiber cloth (And also make sure to clean the covers that you’ve taken off on the inside). The most efficient way of wiping dust off is by cleaning in a linear motion (top to bottom, left to right).
- Use a cleaning brush to get all the dust out from around the edges. A standard toothbrush would work, if you don’t have a cleaning brush. But make sure your toothbrush is not wet!
- Start vacuuming the intake and outtake fans at a low speed. Although handheld vacuums don’t pack a punch big enough to damage your fan blades, there’s still no need for you to pump the vacuum up to max suction mode, just in case.
- On the front of the console you will spot two holes near the geometric center of the console. It’s impossible to fit your vacuum into those holes to suck out the dust. So, here’s where a can of compressed air will come in handy!
- Attach a tiny hose to the end of the can of compressed air and blow some air into the tiny holes in the centre of the PS5. You will notice all of the dust blowing out of the console through the fan vents!
If you’d blown condensed air through the outside of the vents at the start of the cleaning phase, all of the dust would have accumulated deeper inside the console. But by doing the cleaning in this order all the dust gets pushed out through the fan vents, as it should do!
- Attach the covers back on your console and you’re good to go! (That video you made while taking the covers off will come in handy now).
Piece of cake, right? There’s no quadratic formula or complex theorems involved, but there are precautions you need to take though. You can’t expect to keep the latest gaming console in tip-top form without keeping certain things in mind.
Read on and I’ll highlight what you shouldn’t do while cleaning a PS5.
The Don’ts Of Cleaning Your PS5
- First and foremost, don’t carry out the cleaning process when your console is turned on or if there are wires or devices attached to the console.
- Secondly, don’t apply unnecessary pressure onto your console. The covers slide off without much effort and any ‘more than necessary’ force can damage your PS5’s body and void your warranty.
- Make sure you don’t point the vacuum or compressed air directly at the fans, as this force can potentially break the fan blades, and trust me you don’t want that to happen at any cost.
- Don’t clean the vents with isopropyl alcohol or water! Isopropyl alcohol is only recommended for the PS5 covers, and you have to dry them before attaching them to the console body again. Liquid can leak into the main body of the console and it goes without saying… circuits and liquid don’t really mix well.
Now that you know what NOT to do while cleaning your PS5, let’s take a look at things you should do to avoid future problems with your console.
Preventing future problems
No matter how amazing the PS5 is, you still need to regularly maintain the console to make sure it doesn’t have problems. Dust is a common issue that will not only ruin the aesthetics of your pearly white console, but dust buildup in vents can cause your console to overheat!
Here are some things you can do to make sure you avoid such problems with your PS5:
- Keep it covered. Remember how Grandma used to keep Nintendos, TVs and DVD players covered with an iconic cloth? Well, let me tell you she was onto something. You can cover your PS5 with a clean cloth, or get yourself a PS5 dust-proof nylon covering here.
- You can also get yourself a set of dust-proof plugs that will prevent dust from building-up in your PS5’s ports.
- Make a habit of giving the console a wipe down every week to remove dust. You might not see dust but it’s there – trust me!
- Keep the PS5’s environment clean. Sometimes we clean our console but the table it rests on, or the cupboard you place it in, might be dusty. So, make sure you regularly clean the furniture around your console as well.
- Don’t place food or drinks near your PS5. Feed yourself, not your console! Just remember that no amount of vacuuming can take out the can of Coke you spilled into your PS5. So, be careful!