Tips TODAY! Cleaning your game console controllers or keyboard!

REMINDER! There will be no post this sunday! (6/2/2013 sunday = no post)

Using these videos for examples, good thing I looked as my version was partially wrong.
Cleaning a Game Controller and Cleaning a Keyboard and her site Clean My Space.com

KEYBOARD FIRST as it easier to describe. Another thing I didn't realize that this video helped me realize, CHECK YOUR USER GUIDE/MANUAL! IE DON'T mess it up! Each console controller and keyboard type/brand is different! (using all caps on certain words so if you just want to glance through and read specific spots you can.)
What you need for the KEYBOARD: a cleaning tooth brush*
can of compressed air
cotton swabs
rubbing alcohol
microfiber cloth
OR lysol wipes, paper towels and a non lint cloth
DO NOTE that when i  say cleaning tooth brush I mean any cheap toothbrush that is NEVER going to be used to actually brush your teeth and ONLY be used for cleaning.

As with ALL electronics, turn it off AND unplug it. Just because its off and plugged in doesn't mean there is not still power running to it.
With the keyboard, depending on your model you can just use a can of compressed air. BUT, the sanitizing person in me who knows there are invisible germs - and also knows that just wiping things down doesn't fix it -  will go further with the help of this video.

If you normally sanitize your keyboard then using the compressed air and a quick wipe down with a lysol/clorox sanitizing cloth as I call it works, then a quick run through with a damp paper towel to clean the chemicals off as they leave a residue. Then quickly pat down with a dry non lint/microfiber cloth or something that won't leave a cloth/lint residue on your keyboard.
 WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE FINISHED CLEANING to run over with the damp paper towel before drying as you will be wasting supplies.
If you don't normally clean your keyboard then see this part.
Use the cleaning tooth brush to clean your keyboard. Hold the keyboard upright

and scrub/brush with the brush going from top to bottom. (this picture is how you want to hold your keyboard when I say upright)

This will get the loose particles out as you now will use your can of compressed air.
Use short blasts to get the gunk out also starting from top to bottom. Hold the can of compressed air upright and DO NOT SHAKE.

This is now where your cloth and rubbing alcohol come in. If possible get the rubbing alcohol premade with a 50/50 of rubbing alcohol and water to spray on your cloth. Lightly rub the keyboard in a circular motion.  Now this is where the cotton swabs come in. spray them with the alcohol/water mix and get them into the crevaces of the keyboard. I say swabs because if you haven't cleaned your keyboard before YOU WILL need more than 2.
As the video suggests, about once a year you should pop the keys to really clean what the compressed air cannot get out. If you have several animals or just a busy house then I say twice a year, ESPECIALLY if you use your keyboard daily or often.
You can wipe the keys down with a cloth or cotton swab to clean those too because your hands touch this thing daily. I may wash my hands but I have no idea what happens when someone else uses the computer.
(EEWWW)

What you need for the CONTROLLER:
For this you will need THE SAME STUFF as before
a cleaning tooth brush*
can of compressed air
cotton swabs
rubbing alcohol
microfiber cloth

OR lysol wipes, paper towels and a non lint cloth
DO NOTE that when i  say cleaning tooth brush I mean any cheap toothbrush that is NEVER going to be used to actually brush your teeth and ONLY be used for cleaning.
If you have a wireless controller REMOVE THE BATTERY PACK or DISCONNECT the controller from the game console! YES I will get to cleaning the cord for non wireless controllers. As I have a husband that has taken very good care of ALL of his consoles he bought growing up, he kept his cord controllers so this works well for those too instead of JUST wireless.
                                           
In the video she was cleaning an xbox 360 controller. For me I am going to try and cover all of them that have the directional pad/rotational sticks.
Use the tooth brush to clean the rotational stick(s) and trigger buttons. This works for Playstation 1-3/N64/Xbox and 360 controllers and just about all the others. If you don't have a rotational pad still use the tooth brush to clean the  directional pad.
Next spray the alcohol water 50/50 mix on the microfiber towel or lysol wipe to clean the controller. ALSO do this for the controller cord if you have one. Trust me the black cord hides dirt well. The white controllers or other colored controllers show dirty quite well so you will be able to tell the difference between dirty and clean.
 If you used the wipes that is fine but WAIT to run over with a damp paper towel or cloth until you are DONE cleaning.
The cotton swab sprayed with the alcohol/water 50/50 mix to clean the hard to reach areas like the buttons/pads/sticks/triggers. NOT DONE YET
                               
Some have said use the cotton swab or tooth pick. I would have used the tooth pick like a fool. The person in the video says take a post it note or small piece of paper, fold it in half, then fold it in half again. Make sure you have a sharp corner edge as you will use that to dig out the crud in the seams of the controller. DO THIS EVERY TIME because dirt and crud and skin flakes get in there! Yes its gross so do this over a trashcan or area where the crud can be swept off easily. LASTLY
NOW you can run over it with a damp cloth and wipe it dry! ALL DONE.
If you are an avid gamer, this would be a good idea to do every few weeks or if you play when you can every month or two.
Thank you for reading!