How to Clean a Remote Control

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Rug Doctor machines cannot be used for flooding purposes

how to clean a remote control

Apr 5, 2016

How to Clean a Remote Control

 If you knew how much dirt your remote control gets into contact with on a daily basis, you'd jump at the idea of cleaning it as many times as possible. Your TV remote can become dirty from a build-up of dust, crumbs, skin oils, and general grime. Although a relatively easy task, you have to be careful that you don't damage the circuit board. 

In order to have a clean TV remote, you can either do a quick surface clean or perform a more in-depth process of cleaning the inside and the outside.

How to deep clean a remote control

It’s important that you learn how to clean a remote control thoroughly as this will prevent germs spreading in your household and the remote will function for longer. You however need to be extremely careful during this process.

Follow these steps

1. Taking the TV remote apart
Be careful not to lose any of the screws as you will need them to put the TV remote back together. Take the batteries out as well and put them together with the screws so that you don't lose them. If you're able to remove all of the screws, the device components should come apart quite easily as there's usually nothing else holding them together. 

2. Separate the buttons from the circuit board
The buttons are usually on a rubber pad that runs through the circuit board. Setting that aside should be relatively easy. An important tip to note you should always work on a dry surface. 

3. Cleaning the circuit board
The secret to cleaning the circuit board is to use the right cleaning solution. You can either use rubbing alcohol or any of the commercial contact cleaners available in electronic stores. These cleaning solutions have a high evaporation rate hence you won't have to dry your remote control after cleaning. 

4. Cleaning the rubber pad with the buttons
You can use the same cleaning solution to wipe off any dirt on the rubber pad that houses the buttons. When the rubber pad and the buttons are clean, the circuit board will respond much faster whenever you press the buttons. 

5. Putting the remote back together
Once you're satisfied that you have a clean TV remote, you can gently put it back together and fit in the batteries as well. 

How to quickly clean a remote control

If you simply want to learn how to clean a remote control without having to take it apart, then this is the solution for you.

1. Clean around the buttons
In order to effectively do this, you'll need an ideal cleaning solution. The solution you use should not only be able to remove dirt but it should also have the capability to disinfect as well. Remember to take the batteries out in order to clean effectively.

2. Thoroughly wipe the rest of the remote control
Just like you cleaned the buttons, make your way around the rest of the TV remote to get rid of any dirt.  Once you're satisfied, you can put the batteries back in and enjoy your viewing.

 

Gina Gibbs

Author: Gina Gibbs

Gina is the Business Manager at Rug Doctor NZ. With over 20 years at Rug Doctor, she's dedicated to helping New Zealanders keep their homes clean and healthy. Outside of work, Gina enjoys hiking, reading, and enjoying Vietnamese and Asian fusion cuisine. Oh, and let's not forget her expertise in cleaning up after everyone, especially her two kids!