We touch it all the time and yet it is cleaned far too seldom: The remote control. We tell you how to remove dirt from the buttons and the housing.
With sometimes greasy and unwashed hands, we reach for the remote control without giving much thought to the fact that this causes dirt and bacteria to collect on the surface. Then we reach into the chip bag and the dirt ends up in our stomachs. An unappetizing idea. The remote control is one of those objects that are in frequent use and through which you unwittingly spread germs. That’s why it should be cleaned regularly. How often this is necessary and how to remove dirt even from hard-to-reach places is explained in this guide.
Clean remote control weekly
How often you should clean your remote controls depends on how often you use them. At the very least, however, you should clean the outer casing once a week, as dust and dirt will collect on it just from lying around. If you notice that your remote control is no longer working properly, you should also clean it from the inside. In many cases, dirt and crumbs make their way inside the remote control, causing it to malfunction or malfunction.
Cleaning the housing of the remote control
First, remove the batteries from the remote control before you start cleaning the case. You can use a clean toothbrush to remove the dust that settles between the buttons. Once the coarse dirt is removed, mix water and vinegar in equal parts, dampen a cloth with this mixture and wipe it over the remote’s casing. If there are small grooves or gaps, for example between the buttons, that you can’t clean this way, take a cotton swab to help. In the next step, take a fresh, lint-free cloth and wipe the remote control again with clean water to remove all dirt. When doing this, the cloth should only be damp, not wet, so as not to damage the device with the liquid. You should then allow it to dry thoroughly before putting it back into operation.
Cleaning the remote control from the inside
The following also applies to cleaning the inside of the remote control: First, remove the batteries. Disassemble the device so that you can access the inside of the remote control. For this, it may be necessary to loosen some screws. You can usually simply remove the rubber plate with the buttons and clean it with a little soap under running water. Then clean the circuit board by carefully wiping it with a microfiber cloth and isopropyl alcohol. Apply light pressure to the circuit board to remove any coarse dirt. Before reassembling the remote, make sure the rubber and circuit board are completely dry again.
Cleaning the battery compartment
You can also remove dust from the battery compartment with a cloth and a cotton swab. The whole thing becomes a bit more complicated if you open the battery compartment and discover that the battery has leaked, and the battery acid has spread in the battery compartment. In this case, place old newspaper under the remote-control, put-on gloves and remove the batteries from the battery compartment. This way, the crumbly acid can easily land on the paper and then be disposed of. Then grab a toothbrush and use it to brush the gross dirt out of the battery compartment. Then wipe it out with a damp cloth. If desired, you can also clean the contacts separately with a cotton swab dipped in vinegar.
