What you’ll need
- A clean microfibre cloth.
- Isopropyl alcohol (the kind used for cleaning electronics). Never bleach, glass cleaner or products containing ammonia.
- Cotton buds.
- Compressed air spray.
- A plastic or wooden toothpick for the gaps (nothing metal).
How to clean a PS5 controller step by step
1. Switch it off and unplug it
Turn the controller off (from the console’s control centre, or by holding the PS button for a few seconds) and remove the USB-C cable.
2. The shell
Lightly dampen the cloth with isopropyl alcohol, never the controller itself, and wipe the shell, the grips and the touchpad. The alcohol evaporates quickly and leaves no residue.
3. Buttons, D-pad and gaps
Run a barely damp cotton bud around the edge of each button and the D-pad. For dirt stuck in the seams, use the toothpick carefully.
4. The base of the sticks
Blow short bursts of compressed air around the base of each stick while moving it in circles. Keep the can upright so that no liquid comes out. Then run a cotton bud with a little alcohol around the rubber ring surrounding the stick.
5. Triggers and charging port
Use compressed air in the gaps around the L2/R2 triggers and in the USB-C port, without putting anything inside the port.
6. Let it dry
Wait a few minutes before switching it on, so the alcohol has fully evaporated.
What not to do
- Wet it, submerge it or spray liquid directly onto the controller.
- Use bleach, glass cleaner or other harsh products: they damage the plastic and the finish.
- Put metal objects into the charging port or the gaps.
- Open the controller if you have no experience: the internal ribbon cables break easily.
Does cleaning the controller fix stick drift?
Sometimes, for a while. If the stick moves on its own because of dirt built up at the base, external cleaning can improve it. But in most cases stick drift comes from wear in the stick’s internal mechanism, and cleaning the outside does not reach that part.
A clue: if the drift comes back a few days after cleaning, it is wear. We explain the difference in why Hall effect sticks do not suffer the wear that causes stick drift.
When an internal clean is worth it
If the buttons stick, the triggers feel stiff or the stick has slight drift, cleaning with the controller open reaches places a cloth cannot. At our workshop in Alcobendas (Madrid) we do the PS5 controller internal cleaning: we take it apart, clean it inside and test it before returning it to you.
If the problem is wear, the solution is PS5 controller stick drift repair or switching to Hall effect sticks for your DualSense.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I clean my controller?
A quick wipe of the shell whenever it looks dirty, and a deeper clean of the buttons and sticks every few months, or sooner if the buttons feel stiff.
Can I use wet wipes?
Better not: they leave moisture and residue in the gaps. A cloth with isopropyl alcohol is safer.
Does this work for a PS4 controller?
Yes. The steps are the same for the DualShock 4, except that its charging port is micro-USB.
PlayStation, DualSense and DualShock are registered trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment. Tigernicks is not affiliated with or sponsored by Sony.
