Greasy DS Lite Button

July 7, 2006 4:07 PM

Any ideas on how to remove grease and other slimy stuff off of a videogame controller's button? Namely a Nintendo DS Lite.

The other day at lunch my friend started playing some new SMB on my week old DS Lite after knee deep in some nasty greasy McDonalds. I was in the bathroom at the time. Anyway, the damage is not too bad, my B button is a tad slimy and greasy. What is a good way to clean up my button without damaging the machine. Thanks

posted by icespide to society & culture (15 comments total)

Mr Clean white eraser thingy. Available at all supermarkets and general merchandise stores
posted by seawallrunner at 4:11 PM on July 7, 2006

A little hot water, a little grease-cutting dishsoap (like Dawn), and a good paper towel.Fold the paper towel into quarters. Take one corner and get it wet with the hot water. Wring it so it's just moist. Drop a TINY drop of the liquid soap onto it, and rub it around the button. It should cut the grease nicely. Wet another corner to wite the soap off, voila.
posted by mattoly at 4:11 PM on July 7, 2006

Mr Clean Eraser web site
posted by seawallrunner at 4:12 PM on July 7, 2006

I use fragrance-free baby wipes to clean controllers, remotes, keyboards, etc. I've never had any problems.

I wouldn't use them on the actual LCD screen, though.
posted by sevenless at 4:23 PM on July 7, 2006

Dish soap, castille soap, spray kitchen cleaner, or Simple Green -- whatever you have on hand that's designed to cut through cooking grease. As mattoly says, just use a teeny bit.
posted by occhiblu at 4:29 PM on July 7, 2006

Those Mr Clean things are magic, totally saved my greasy gunked up computer mouse and X-box controllers. And they're dry, so less risky than using detergent. You'll be amazed at how clean your controller can actually be after using the eraser, gets rid of stuff detergent can't.

It's abrasive though, so don't use it on a screen or anything.
posted by shelleycat at 5:04 PM on July 7, 2006

will these mr. clean erasers leave any kind of dust or residue or anything?
posted by icespide at 6:34 PM on July 7, 2006

"And they're dry..."

Those Mr. Clean erasers are supposed to be used wet. And they definitely leave a residue on metal, though I'm not sure about plastic.

I vote for the dish soap idea. Cutting through grease is its main purpose in life, after all.
posted by CrayDrygu at 6:40 PM on July 7, 2006

I find that rubbing alcohol works better than soap and water.
posted by sockpup at 8:49 PM on July 7, 2006

I use a product called iKlear. It's marketed as an Apple-approved cleaner for all things Apple (iPod, LCDs, Powerbooks, everything). I use it on my LCD Monitor, my laptops, my sunglasses, my PSP, and my NDS. Works great.

Some Googling for iKlear returns the company and product called Klear Screen. iKlear is the same thing "packaged especially for Apple" This looks like what you'd want.

I can say, though, that I would not want to put a Mr. Clean Eraser near anything prone to scratches. Those things will take paint off of wallboard. They do an amazing job at removing scuffs and stuff like that, but, I wouldn't want to have it touch the plastic on my NDS.

I love me some NSMB. The Nintendo DS is probably the best gaming purchase I've made in years.
posted by jeversol at 8:54 PM on July 7, 2006

the iKlear seems like its meant for the lcd's screens and the shiny fingerprint magnet plastic. My button is the problem here.
posted by icespide at 9:08 PM on July 7, 2006

Icespide... the plastic on the DS Lite is also a fingerprint magnet, much like the PSP and iPod.

(I just traded my DS in for a DS Lite today!)
posted by IndigoRain at 9:40 PM on July 7, 2006

the outside yes, not the inside
posted by icespide at 10:02 PM on July 7, 2006

I use plain rubbing alcohol for grease on the mouse or keyboard or buttons.
posted by unrepentanthippie at 12:25 AM on July 9, 2006

Windex (or a generic substitute) cuts through grease like buttah!
posted by deborah at 2:31 PM on July 10, 2006