For a primary cleansing:

• cleaning soap and water: any dish cleaning soap or liquid hand cleaning soap will do (we like Dawn)
• vinegar, isopropyl alcohol, or sanitizing wipes (non-obligatory)
• a lint-free material
• cotton swabs
• a toothpick
• a compressed air canister (non-obligatory)

For a deep cleansing to deal with efficiency points:

• a small Phillips screwdriver
• a small flathead screwdriver, bank card, or different flat, inflexible object
• cleaning soap and water
• isopropyl alcohol
• a lint-free material or cotton balls
• cotton swabs

A primary cleansing of a distant management requires solely 10 minutes and customary family provides.

If a number of of your distant’s buttons has stopped working correctly, a deep cleansing might assist … although it may well additionally injury the distant if you happen to’re not cautious, so we solely suggest deep-cleaning a non-touchscreen distant when completely vital. You can count on this course of to take anyplace from quarter-hour to 1 hour, relying on how arduous it’s to take aside your distant.

How to do a primary cleansing

1. Wash and dry your palms.
2. Remove the batteries. Most distant controls have detachable batteries below a slide-off panel. Some common and streaming-media remotes use nonremovable, rechargeable batteries; for these remotes, be sure you don’t get moisture close to the inner compartment. If a battery has corroded, learn our information on methods to deal with that.
3. Clean the physique of the distant with cleaning soap and water. Mix just a few drops of cleaning soap with heat water in a small bowl. Dip one fringe of a lint-free material within the combination, then squeeze out as a lot extra liquid as you’ll be able to. Wipe down the entire physique of the distant, specializing in areas the place grime, grime, and goo have constructed up. A dampened cotton swab is useful for cleansing on and across the buttons.
4. Sanitize the distant (non-obligatory). You can use antibacterial cleaning soap within the step above, or you’ll be able to combine one half vinegar with two components water in a small bowl. Dip one fringe of a lint-free material within the combination, then squeeze out extra liquid. Completely wipe down the distant’s surfaces. To give attention to the buttons, dip a cotton swab within the vinegar combination, squeeze out extra liquid, and wipe every button floor totally. If you like a stronger disinfectant, use rubbing alcohol or a sanitizing wipe (once more, with the surplus liquid squeezed out) to wash the distant’s physique. We don’t suggest utilizing alcohol fairly often on rubber buttons, although. Alcohol can adversely have an effect on rubber.
5. Clean the crevices across the buttons. Use a toothpick to loosen and take away any particles within the crevices across the buttons. You can use an air canister to blow off any unfastened particles.
6. Do this each few months. If your distant’s buttons usually are not functioning correctly, proceed to the deep cleansing steps beneath.

How to do a deep cleansing

You ought to solely do a deep cleansing to salvage a distant whose buttons aren’t working correctly. This methodology requires you to open the distant to wash the buttons and contacts from the within, which may injury the distant’s components or capabilities. Do not use this methodology on a distant with a touchscreen.

1. Remove the batteries.
2. Open the distant. Some remotes are held collectively by screws, which usually require a tiny Phillips screwdriver. Others are held collectively by snap-in items that it is advisable to pry aside utilizing a flathead screwdriver or different flat, inflexible object like a butter knife, bank card, or agency guitar decide. A screwdriver is mostly only, however it may well additionally dig into the distant’s chassis and depart everlasting marks. Start at one finish of the distant and free the matching set of snaps on all sides as you’re employed your method alongside the distant’s physique. Don’t pull too arduous whereas attempting to separate the items or you can break them.
3. Separate the interior components and clear them. Once you’ve opened the distant, separate the button pad from its arduous shell and separate the circuit board from the distant’s again casing. You can rinse the rubber button pad and any all-plastic components with heat, soapy water, utilizing a cotton swab to get within the crevices. If desired, sanitize the plastic components with slightly isopropyl alcohol on a cotton ball or swab. Make positive you’ve cleared any particles from the underside of the button pad that may be stopping the buttons from urgent down absolutely on the circuit board.
4. Clean the contacts on the circuit board. Dip a cotton swab into the isopropyl alcohol, squeeze out extra moisture, and gently wipe the contacts on the circuit board. You’ll normally see a contact level that aligns with each button place.
5. Reassemble the distant. Allow all the things to dry utterly earlier than placing the items again collectively (no actually, be affected person). If vital, wipe the components down with a lint-free material one final time earlier than reassembling. Make positive all of the buttons are correctly seated within the plastic shell earlier than closing the distant; you should use a toothpick or screwdriver to push the rubber buttons again into place from behind.
6. Reinsert the batteries and take a look at the buttons. If a deep cleansing didn’t repair the issue, it’s possible you’ll want to purchase a alternative distant.

This article was edited by Amy Koplin, Brittney Ho, and Sofia Sokolove.