Give the bottle a few sprays into the sink to make sure it’s working properly

You can also use a soft cloth or lint-free paper towel. However, microfiber towels are better at trapping dirt and reducing the risk of scratching glossy parts of the controller.

After squeezing the cotton, it should be flat enough to get inside the controller’s tight spots.

Use a toothpick to get dirt that your cotton swab can’t reach. Just be careful not to jam it in too hard and damage the buttons. If you’re having a hard time cleaning the button gaps, focus on the surfaces. Wipe the buttons down with a clean cloth or towel when you’re finished.

Use a toothpick to get under the lip on the controller where it connects to the sticks. Switch to a clean cotton swab in between analog sticks.

Don’t push the toothpick into the gaps past the tip.

Find the “Share” button to the left of the touchpad, the “Options” button to the right of it, and the “PlayStation” button below it.

To avoid damaging the insides of your controller, don’t insert the toothpick past its tip.

Don’t worry about washing out rubbing alcohol—it will evaporate by itself.

Replace the screws if they are difficult to turn. The screws are M2X6 Phillips flat head machine screws.

Be gentle when levering open the controller to avoid damaging it.

Spray the back piece with a surface cleaner and dry cloth if it’s dirty.

Be patient—this piece can take a while to shimmy off.

Be careful not to break the wires attaching the chipboard to the battery.

Pop off the L2 and R2 buttons before prying the piece apart to give yourself more room.

You should now have a green triangle, a red circle, a blue cross, and a pink square; a D-pad; 4 shoulder buttons; a PlayStation button; and analog sticks.

You can use a lint-free towel or soft cloth as well. However, microfiber towels are more effective at trapping dirt and decreasing the risk of scratching the pieces.

Standard cloths and towels also work. However, they can sometimes scratch the surface of your pieces.

Reattach any ribbon cables as you reassemble the controller. Keep the front controller piece facing down as you reattach its buttons.