Clean Your Gaming Gear Properly

Unplug any device before cleaning it. Use a soft brush for the keyboard and the vents. A cheaper item that fits your desk and your hands beats an expensive one that does not.

Fit matters more than specs

Use a lightly damp cloth for the plastic surfaces. Avoid alcohol on rubber coatings, which can degrade them. The gear you touch constantly improves the experience more than the gear you look at.

Spend where you touch the game

Clean the mouse sensor area with a dry cloth. Remove the keycaps if the keyboard allows it. Buy one item at a time and use it for a week before deciding on the next.

Before ordering, measure the desk, the available space, and the distance to the screen. Gear that does not fit is returned or left in a drawer, whatever the reviews say. Check the return window and the warranty, and read recent reviews rather than the launch coverage. A single well-chosen item that solves a real annoyance is worth more than a collection of small upgrades. Read the measurements twice and compare them with the space you have, because a product photo hides the real size.

Clean the controller between the buttons with a soft brush. Comfort and reliability matter more than the numbers on the box.

Before you order

• Unplug before cleaning
• Soft brush for the keyboard
• Avoid alcohol on rubber
• Let it dry fully

Test before upgrading

Do not use water inside a controller or a headset. Clean the earpads with a cloth rather than soaking them. Cleaning and cable management extend the life of gear more than any upgrade.

Dust the monitor with a microfibre cloth, not a paper towel. Check the vents on the console and the PC regularly.

Keep it clean and working

Avoid spraying cleaner directly on a device. Let everything dry fully before plugging it back in. Return policies matter, because fit is difficult to judge from a product page.

If the new gear does not improve things, change the setup before buying again. Height, distance, lighting, and cable routing often matter more than the device itself. Keep the packaging for the first two weeks, clean the item regularly, and write down what you changed. The best gear is the gear you stop noticing because it simply works. If a device feels wrong after a few sessions, adjust the position first, and keep the receipt until it has survived a week of normal use. Keep a simple list of what you own and when it was bought, because the warranty and the replacement cycle are easier to track than to remember, and measure the space again before the next order.

Clean the mousepad, which collects skin oils and dust. Keep food and drinks away from the keyboard. Regular light cleaning prevents most deep cleaning. If you want the wider picture, read Portable SSDs for Consoles and PCs before you decide.

For the underlying guidance, see the RTINGS headphone reviews.