How To Properly Clean Your VR Headset (And Why You Need To)

Grabbing a new VR headset isn't exactly cheap, so you'll want to take care of it the best you can. This means not dropping or smashing it, but it also means you'll want to keep it clean. You'll quickly find out the lenses can get dirty fast, especially if you're somebody who sweats a lot while they're playing. Not only will the lenses get smudges, but you'll create a ring of sweat on the headset mount itself that goes over your face. You'll want to dry this off periodically while playing just for comfort alone.

As for the lens, you'll want to use a microfiber cloth to wipe it off. These are often bundled with headsets, like the PSVR2, and you might already have one for cleaning off a pair of glasses. This cloth will ensure you don't scratch the screen, which would create a brutal experience for VR as you'd have a constant distraction every time you're playing. You can use anti-bacterial wipes on everything but the lens, so it's handy to have a few of those around. You'll want to clean or replace the cloth every now and then, too, as those can become dirty over time, much like a towel after showering.

Having a clean VR headset is important because you don't want bacteria forming on the device if you didn't wipe it off the last time you played. It only takes a few seconds for a wipe-down, and if you make it part of your routine after playing, you won't even notice it. This is especially important if you share your headset with another person, as you'll be exposing somebody to all sorts of bacteria if you're not cleaning it regularly.

Many headsets have removable parts that you can take off for easy cleaning. Parts like the nose guard and light blocker will simply pop off on most headsets, allowing you to give a quick clean. For the most part, you'll want to give the parts of the headset that come into contact with your face the most attention, as that's where most of the bacteria will be coming from. While you might be able to get away with hardly ever cleaning the headset, it's something you really don't want to neglect — especially if you're sharing it — because nobody wants to put a filthy object on their face. Wiping off the lens after using it should be the bare minimum, but try and make time to clean the other parts as well.