Is a Controller Deep Clean Worth It?
By the OG Repairs workshop team, LondonPublished 3 min read
Is a controller deep clean worth it?
Yes, if your controller is grimy, sticky or just well used. An ultrasonic deep clean at OG Repairs strips it down, cleans the shell, buttons and sticks in an ultrasonic bath, then sanitises, rebuilds and tests it, for £19.99 on a PS5 DualSense. It won't fix stick drift or a worn part: that's a repair.
Key facts
- The ultrasonic deep clean is a clean, not a repair: no parts are fitted and no fault is fixed.
- It gets grime out of the seams, from around the buttons and from under the sticks, where a cloth can't reach.
- It does nothing for stick drift caused by wear. TMR sticks fix that.
- Buttons that stick down or miss presses need the sticky bumpers, triggers & buttons repair, £29.99 on a PS5 DualSense.
- Ticked alongside a repair, the clean has the same turnaround as the repair, and extra jobs in the same order are 10% off.
What a deep clean does and doesn't do
| Ultrasonic deep clean | Full button and trigger restore | TMR stick upgrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixes | Grime in the seams, sticky residue on the shell and buttons, a controller that's just dirty | Buttons or triggers sticking down, feeling mushy or missing presses | Stick drift |
| Parts fitted | None | Worn parts replaced | Both sticks replaced with TMR |
| PS5 DualSense price | £19.99 | £29.99 | £34.99 |
When it's worth paying for
- You bought it second-hand and want it properly clean inside and out.
- It's been through spills, crumbs or years of sweaty sessions, and the seams show it.
- It's shared between a few people.
- The buttons feel gritty or tacky, but they still register every press.
- It's going in for a repair anyway: tick the clean too and it comes back with the repair.
When to clean it yourself instead
If it's surface dirt, do it yourself. Turn it off, wipe the shell with a soft cloth, slightly damp at most, and run a soft brush or cotton bud around the buttons and stick bases. Don't soak it or spray anything into the gaps. If grime is inside the seams or buttons still stick afterwards, it needs opening.
Comfortable opening a controller? Our step-by-step guide to cleaning a PS5 controller yourself walks through it. Opening it ends the manufacturer's warranty, so if it's still covered, check that first.
How our ultrasonic clean works
- The controller is stripped right down.
- The shell, buttons and sticks are cleaned in an ultrasonic bath, never the assembled controller or its board.
- Everything is sanitised and dried.
- It's rebuilt and every button, trigger and stick is tested before it goes back.
Deep clean prices by controller
- PS5 DualSense: £19.99
- PS4 DualShock 4: £19.99
- Xbox Series X|S controller: £19.99
- DualSense Edge: £33.99
- Xbox Elite Series 2: £33.99
- SCUF Reflex: £33.99
Bench time is about 2-3 hours. Post it in from anywhere in the world or drop it at our London workshop by appointment. If you need it back the same day, get in touch with the team about a priority slot before you book.
Grimy controller? Send it in
Stripped, cleaned in an ultrasonic bath, sanitised and tested. Post it from anywhere, or drop it at our London workshop by appointment.