
No matter how highly we rate our personal hygiene, it's impossible to keep your hands totally clean 100% of the time – and when you think that multiple people may have handled some of our old-school controllers over the past few decades, it's inevitable that they will pick up at least some funky gunk in that time.
If you're still not convinced, then check out the video below, posted by modder and engineer Voultar. It shows a Japanese Sega Saturn control pad getting a lovely bath.
"This Saturn controller has 30 years of human gunk and & filth," says Voultar. "These units require a meticulous restoration down to every component. No, a Clorox wipe isn't sufficient. Notice how disgusting the water gets in the ultrasonic cleaner? Gross!"
This might seem like less a pressing matter with modern-day consoles, but some of the pads we've got in the Hookshot Media office are almost as old as us – and we dread to think how many people have fondled them over the years.
As well as having an educational impact, these videos are also curiously interesting to watch – and the process of giving your pads a scrub has other benefits. "I find deep satisfaction and therapeutic value in buying up and cleaning old controllers," says one of the replies. I couldn't agree more!
[source bsky.app]
Comments 9
I’ve never thought about an ultrasonic bath for grimy parts but that’s brilliant. My wife already has a jewelry one …
I've seen this done on some of the retro restore youtube channels. The other method is the dishwasher. Surprisingly effective.
I oddly don't mind a bit of grime on an old controller lol
When rubbery parts go sticky though... that's the worst.
my wavebird is so much more worn and filthy lol. I'm gonna get around to overhauling it one of these days. ❤️
PS - the blue + yellow + green + magenta on light grey scheme is so nice. I really appreciate how much the simple use of magenta in place of red sets the saturn pad apart from the super famicom's and 64's. 👍
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
Not sure why that video had to be sped up so much, modern internet I guess, creating am ADHD zombie army...
Ugh....Bluesky. Pass.
I have roughly the same ultrasonic cleaner and I love it. One of my hobbies is buying and restoring old keyboards from the 80s and early 90s and these things make the meticulous process of cleaning every key a breeze. I also use it to clean paintbrushes and flux off of PCBs. It was money extremely well spent.
Also digging the bluesky embeds.
28 YO max. The white pad was launched in 1996.
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