The frustrating part about broken TV remote controls is that they’re usually broken due to something simple, like accidentally spilling a drink on one of them, or not realizing that dirt and dust particles have collected in the little spaces where the buttons are located. And then you see all of those articles that cite studies where the television remote controls in any given house or hotel room end up harboring more bacteria than the toilets or door handles. And then before you know it, you’re terrified to watch TV because you’ll have to touch at least one of your television remote controls in order to turn it on (because why would new TVs come with any buttons on them?).
The good news is that you don’t have to run out and buy replacement remotes for TVs, DVD players, stereos, etc. whenever they start getting sticky. Each manufacturer will have their own tips for cleaning their own remote controls, but there are couple easy tips that work on any remote.
First, you’ll want something that will disinfect the remote and kill all the bad bacteria — most cleaning guides will suggest that you use a sanitizing solution or a rubbing alcohol/water mixture (with a ratio of about 1:1). Disinfecting wipes are good in theory, but you could end up squeezing too much of the cleaning liquid into the remote itself, which would definitely not be good for your remote.
Once you have a cleaning solution figured out, all you need to do is find some little household items that will effectively clean in between the approximate 237 tiny buttons your remote control has. A toothbrush (ideally, one you won’t use again on your teeth…) is a great cleaning item here because the bristles can pick up any little pieces of dust that may have gotten stuck on the side of the buttons. Q-tips are also very convenient, and a bit cheaper than brand new toothbrushes. It really doesn’t matter what cleaning material you can find — just anything that will fit in between the buttons, that isn’t already dirty, and that won’t be used again (except for cleaning other household items) will work just fine.
Like we said before, the key with cleaning your television remote controls is to make sure that you use enough cleaning solution to kill the bacteria, but not so much solution that it gets inside the remote and ruins the pieces. If you have any remotes that you use infrequently (like a DVD player remote, or perhaps one of those ancient and mysterious VHS player remotes), the best way to keep it clean and dust-free is to keep it covered.
Pretty easy, right? We thought so! Now we’re turning the conversation over to you — if you have any better ways to clean a remote and keep it clean, be sure to let us know in the comments section! Helpful links.
