Home Learn how to clean your PS5 with these helpful tips

Learn how to clean your PS5 with these helpful tips

Even though the PS5 is an impressive bit of kit, it still falls foul to all other tech of a similar ilk – it needs to be cleaned to ensure there are no problems that can arise from intense usage.

Dust and debris within the console can accumulate over time, leading to overheating, reduced airflow, and potential hardware issues.

Luckily, cleaning your PS5 isn’t difficult, and with proper care, you can ensure it runs smoothly for years to come.

Below, we’ll be taking a look at how to safely clean your PS5 so you can guarantee .

Why should you clean your PS5 console?

The PS5’s powerful internals generate heat, which is managed by its cooling system. Over time, dust buildup can block vents, reduce airflow, and stress internal components.

Regular cleaning helps prevent overheating, maintaining quieter operation, ensuring optimal performance, and essentially extending the lifespan of the console.

While you might find this daunting, it’s actually relatively simple as long as you’re using the right tools.

Before starting, you’ll need the following to clean your PS5 safely:

  • Microfiber cloth: For wiping the exterior.
  • Can of compressed air: For removing dust from vents and internal components.
  • Soft brush: To clean delicate areas.
  • Phillips-head screwdriver: If you plan to remove the panels or access deeper parts.
  • Vacuum cleaner (optional): For gently removing dust.
  • Isopropyl alcohol (optional): For sticky or stubborn grime.

If you have all the above ready to go, you should be prepped!

How to clean your PS5 console

Your first port of call is to fully power down your PS5 so you don’t accidentally short anything.

To do this, turn off your PS5 completely (not Rest Mode), unplug all cables, including the power cord, HDMI, and peripherals.

Now you can move to a clean, flat, and well-lit surface, ready to start the cleaning process.

Clean the exterior

Before getting into the precious PS5 internals, the outer shell is the first line of defense against dust, so likely needs a wipe down in some form.

Use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the exterior surfaces, removing fingerprints and dust.

Remove the side panels

remove side panels ps5

After you’ve got the exterior nice and shiny, you’ll need to remove the side panels to access the inside.

Place the PS5 on its side with the PlayStation logo facing up, and gently pull up on one corner of the panel and slide it off.

Repeat for the other side, giving you access to the vents, fans, and dust traps.

What’s great here is that at this point, you haven’t had to use any tools, which are usually the main culprits that can cause damage if you’re not careful, accidentally slip, etc.

Clean the dust traps

ps5 dust traps

The PS5 has dedicated dust traps designed to collect debris so once you’ve cracked open the console, these are your first port of call.

Use a can of compressed air to blow out the dust from these traps and if needed, gently vacuum the area with a low-powered vacuum cleaner.

Regularly cleaning the dust traps prevents build-up and ensures better airflow.

Clean the fan

ps5 cooling fan

After the dust traps, the fan is probably the most critical component that needs attention since it’s the main area that cools your system.

Locate the large fan, which is accessible after removing the panels, and use compressed air to blow out dust from the fan blades.

For stubborn dust, use a soft brush to loosen it before blowing it out but ensure you’re not pressing down too hard.

Something to note here is that you want to avoid spinning the fan with compressed air as much as possible, since it could damage the bearings.

Inspect and clean the vents

Finally, blocked vents can severely affect cooling so you want to get these squeaky clean.

Again, compressed air is your friend here so use it once more to clear the vents on all sides of the console.

A soft brush can help dislodge dust in hard-to-reach areas and you can apply a little more pressure than the fan to free any debris.

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The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Jacob Woodward
Gaming Journalist

Jacob has been a life-long gamer and tech enthusiast ever since the original Game Boy was placed in his hands at an early age. Due to his passion for the field, writing talent, and a keen eye for SEO, he transitioned from digital marketing into games journalism in 2019. Starting initially as a writer, he rose quickly, becoming not only an Editor but also Interim Managing Editor within the space of 2 years. He has worked with gaming media publications such as GGRecon, The Loadout, Retro Dodo, Insider Gaming, Gfinity, Stealth Optional, Retro Recall, and many more, making him an…

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