How Often Should You Clean Your Xbox Series X?

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The Xbox Series X is a powerful console that can provide countless hours of entertainment. Sure, the Xbox Game Pass doesn't hold the value it once did due to a recent price hike, but the console still has plenty of must-play games. However, if you don't clean your console every few months, it is going to start looking grody. Do you really want to invite friends over for some multiplayer action in "Halo" with an unkempt console?

Microsoft recommends giving your Xbox Series X/S a good spit-and-shine every 3 to 6 months, though that isn't a hard-and-fast rule. However, this raises the question of how to clean the console since certain cleaning products (such as abrasive materials) can ruin the finish, or worse. Dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with a solution that's 70% isopropyl alcohol or less, and wipe it over the console's surface. Make sure you unplug the Xbox before cleaning, and never put the liquid directly on the console. If you don't have isopropyl alcohol, a premoistened wipe with the same formula (not a disinfectant wipe), a combination of mild soap (e.g., Dawn) and water, or either Formula 409 All-Purpose Cleaner or Windex Glass Cleaner will also work.

While you're at it, you also might as well clean your controller and/or headset since they should be wiped down on the same schedule. The same rules and instructions apply: Dab a soft cloth with a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution or mild soap and water, and wipe it on the peripheral's surface. Again, the device should be unpowered. If you only have Formula 409 or Windex, use a sparse amount.

While you should definitely wipe off the exterior of your Xbox Series X, that style of maintenance is only surface-level, figuratively and literally. Everyone knows you need to dust your computer every few months to keep it running fast and cool, and the same is true for an Xbox.

You can usually clear away dust building up around the exhaust ports with a light scrubbing. Just take a toothbrush (not the one you use to actually brush your teeth) and just give the fan holes a light scrubbing. You can also reach into the fan ports with a Q-tip dipped in the same isopropyl alcohol you used to wipe the case for a deeper clean. However, if you do this, you must make sure the Q-tip doesn't touch any of the interior mechanisms or electronics. Also, you will have to clean every single hole.

If you want to get rid of dust buildup further inside the Xbox Series X, you have two options. The first and easiest way is to just use a can of compressed air, aim it into the exhaust ports, and squeeze the trigger. If you would rather get up close and personal with the console's guts, it's possible, just understand that doing so will void your console's warranty, a practice many people claim that practice is illegal.  To access the console's interior, unscrew the screws on the back of the console (one is behind a warranty sticker, which you'll need to remove), carefully pry off the rear cover, and use a vacuum to suck up all the dirt. Depending on the dust's density, you might need to loosen it with a brush first — or send the console to a professional cleaner.