It’s a stereotype, admittedly, but videogame players are not regarded as the cleanest of people. After all, they want to get stuck into the action immediately. There’s no time to wait around and clean their system when a game of Among Us is calling.
Yet if you’re currently taking this approach, now’s the time to reassess your cleanliness standards for your consoles. Why? Well, the following article will spotlight just how dirty the average gaming system is, while also providing some helpful tips to ensure cleanliness is no longer an issue.
A toilet seat is cleaner than the average videogame console
Oh, it’s a depressing truth. One that was revealed thanks to in-depth research discussing just how dirty each major console was, they came to a shocking discovery: the average Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox all featured more bacteria than a toilet seat.
Below is a closer look at how each system fared during testing:
- Nintendo Switch: Out of the three, the Nintendo Switch is the cleanest console overall, with a median bacteria colony-forming unit score of 55. However, with a toilet seat scoring 30 in comparison, this means the Switch is close to twice as bacteria-ridden as the average toilet seat.
- PlayStation: With a total of 72.5 for its median colony-forming units, the PlayStation is at the wrong end of the scale in terms of dirtiness. The buttons and joysticks of the controller are especially worrying, as these scored a rating of 190 units of bacteria.
- Xbox: The Xbox falls in the middle of the other two, with a median score of 62.5 for colony-forming bacteria units. This is still more than two times as dirty as the standard toilet seat.
With these worrying figures now there for all to see, it’s clear you want to get rid of the bacteria currently present on your consoles. That’s where the following section comes into play.
Cleaning your consoles the right way
To avoid bacteria, mold, and any other nasties building up, it is imperative you clean your consoles on a regular basis. You also need to do it in an effective manner. Fortunately, not much effort is necessary to keep your systems clean.
Begin the process by unplugging your console. To avoid unnecessary damage, you don’t want the system on when cleaning.
For the controllers and any other devices, utilize a cleaning solution that is both bleach-free and plastic-friendly. Dampen a cloth with a small amount of solution and use it to carefully wipe around the controllers – including the buttons, triggers, and joysticks. If you have any jammed buttons, a toothbrush or Q-tip can be useful for removing debris.
As for the console itself, stick with a dry cloth. Using a solution could cause moisture to enter the system and cause irreparable damage. A microfiber cloth will do the job of getting rid of any unwanted fingerprints and dust.
When wiping the console down, it is easy to forget underneath the system. However, this area tends to be home to a significant amount of dust, so make sure you include it in the cleaning process.
