Cleaning your PS5: what you can do yourself and what not

Cleaning your PS5 is one of the best things you can do for your console. Dust is the main reason a PS5 gets louder and hotter after a few years. At Blue Apple in Amsterdam, a clean is, after the HDMI port, one of the most booked PlayStation jobs. This article explains what you can safely clean yourself, what you are better off leaving, and how a professional clean works.

Blue Apple repairs PlayStation consoles in Amsterdam. If your PS5 is already overheating, also read PS5 overheating.

Why dust is such a problem

A PS5's fan pulls a lot of air through the console. Dust, hair and fluff come in with it. That sticks to the fan blades and between the thin fins of the heatsink. Less air gets through, the chip gets warmer and the fan spins faster. Eventually the console can switch itself off.

Pets, smoking, a console on the floor and a room with lots of fabric speed that up.

What you can do yourself

1. Switch the PS5 off and unplug it.
2. The outside: wipe the panels with a dry or slightly damp microfibre cloth. No cleaner or alcohol on the glossy parts.
3. The vents: carefully vacuum along the vents at the front, sides and back with a brush nozzle.
4. The dust catchers: on the original model you can carefully remove the side panels. Underneath are two openings where dust collects. Vacuum them gently.
5. The ports: blow loose dust out of the USB and HDMI ports with a hand blower. Do not put anything in them.

What you are better off not doing yourself

• Opening the heatsink. The PS5 has liquid metal between the chip and the heatsink. If you remove the heatsink, that metal can run and short the motherboard. It is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make.
• Compressed air straight into the fan. The fan then spins very fast and can be damaged. Hold it still while blowing, or skip blowing.
• Vacuuming hard on the circuit board. Static can damage parts.
• Letting water or cleaner run inside.

How often to clean?

• The outside and the vents: every few months.
• A thorough clean inside: after a few years, or sooner if the fan gets clearly louder, the console feels hot or you get a heat warning.

Signs that a clean is needed

• The fan is clearly audible in menus, while it used to be quiet.
• The back blows out very warm air, even in a simple game.
• Games stutter or the console switches off with a heat warning.
• You can see dust or fluff in the vents.

Cleaning the controller

Clean your DualSense with a slightly damp cloth. Sticky buttons or a drifting stick are not fixed by cleaning the outside. Read PS5 controller repair.

How a clean works with us

1. We open the console with the right tools.
2. We remove the dust from the fan, the air ducts and the heatsink fins.
3. We check the fan for wear and play.
4. We check whether the chip's cooling is still in order, without touching the liquid metal unnecessarily.
5. We close the console and run a heavy test to check the temperature and the fan.

You hear beforehand what is needed. See PS5 cleaning, PS5 Slim cleaning or PlayStation repair in Amsterdam.

Frequently asked questions

Do I lose factory cover if I remove the side panels?

The side panels are meant to come off, for example for the dust catchers or an extra SSD. Opening further is something else.

Will my PS5 be quieter after a clean?

If dust was the cause, usually yes. If the fan makes a ticking or grinding noise, it may be worn.

What about the PS5 Slim?

The Slim has the same kind of cooling and collects dust just as well.