My Xbox One Elite controller is wonderful. After being announced at E3, I was hyped and preordered one immediately to receive mine when they released on October 27th of 2015. The paddles, after a learning curve, have improved my FPS game greatly. I even use it for Rocket League. There is only one problem with my otherwise fantastic Elite controller…it stinks.
Not as in, “Lol jk, it sucks.” My Xbox One Elite controller smells bad, it reeks, it’s funky.
It took me a little while to figure out why sometimes my hands smelled like old shoe. After all, I have been gaming for 30 years, and playing my Xbox One since launch, and never had stinky hands after a session. One day I noticed the odor was particularly strong, even while playing my Xbox One. I smelled my hands, “yup, there’s that nasty smell. Is it my sweat?” Then I smelled the Elite controller, “Yuck!”.
“Why does my controller smell so bad?”, I thought. “Are my stinky hands polluting my beautiful Xbox One Elite?”
No, in fact. I have quite-good hygiene. And despite what the vocal minority over at /r/XboxOne think, my stinky Elite is not the result of “failure to wipe”, “eating Doritos while gaming”, or other ‘deeds of misconduct’. Literally zero of my other Xbox controllers suffer this odoriferous issue. Why?
My theory is this:
The Elite controller comes with a rubberized grip which is supposed to give players more control during intense, sweaty gaming moments. But somehow, my biochemistry is clashing hard with whatever material Microsoft used on the Elite. After a couple of days mixing sweat and rubber, that sour, tart, vinegary smell comes creeping up.
If you have this issue, you might be wondering…
What can I do to fix a stinky Xbox One Elite controller?
What, you don’t like the smell of bad cheese when you are calling in your Titan? Hmmm, lower your standards? Ok, that’s not helpful. Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot you can do if you are experiencing this problem. And judging but the internet, there aren’t many of us who have this issue.
I do, however, have some quick cleaning tips that will resolve the issue for a short while:
How to clean an Xbox One Elite controller
- Using a toothpick or thin piece of plastic, clean out the lines between the controller shell and the rubber grip. There is some funky stuff that can get built up in there. This doesn’t make you a gross person, it just means that you have skin cells like everyone else. These skin cells come off with friction and some get lodged in the crevices. Clean them out the best that you can.
- Get some Lysol/Clorox wipes, and wipe down the whole exterior of the controller. Try to get some of the wipe into the grooves. Try to avoid dousing inside of the controller with the liquid that saturates the wipe. You may want to wear gloves for this process, but I don’t.
- Let the controller dry for 5-10 minutes. The chemicals from the wipes should evaporate and leave a clean, smell-free Elite controller behind.
- Try to keep your hands clean and dry when using the Elite controller.
I posted this because I was bothered by the amount of people judging others as filthy beasts for having a smelly Xbox One Elite controller. I may be in a serious minority, but please leave a comment if you found this and it helped you. It’s good for people not to feel alone. Have fun with your Elite!
I was so glad to find this… I thought I was the only one… I cleaned mine before I left for the weekend.. came back and it still smelled.. I just cleaned in the cracks like you recommended, hoping that helps.
p.s. Fascinated to run into a fellow Christian whom also enjoys gaming!
Thanks for reaching out! I always felt alone with my Elite issue, so I’m glad to help you feel less alone.
Unfortunately, the smell will probably always return. A good cleaning is warranted now and then anyway, but I’ve just learned to accept the stink. 🙁 If my tips help, great. If not, keep enjoying that Elite controller anyway.
I don’t get much feedback on my Christianity, and when I do, it tends to be somewhat hostile. So thanks for helping me feel less alone. 🙂 God bless you, and game on!
I too, just noticed the smell. It sucks.
I’m afraid of damaging the grips.
Wipes or even powdering my hands might degrade or dry out the rubber.
However the sweat itself may eventually degrade the rubber anyways.
It smells like you know what…
I don’t clean mine regularly (I just accept that it reeks and wash my hands immediately after using it). But I haven’t noticed any degradation of the rubber. I have heard complaints of the rubber falling apart on some people’s Elite controllers, but mine is still in great shape. Stinky, but in great shape.
I’m glad to have found this…I was wondering if the wipes would be ok. I’m tired of the small my hands have after playing. I don’t wanna touch anything important…LOL. Thanks for taking the time to post this!
🙂 I know exactly what you mean. I’m glad to share my thoughts on things that most people would avoid in conversation. Thanks for your comment.
Guys. It’s not the grip. You all have some sort of short in your controller. Blown capacitor or faulty wiring by the company. The way he described the smell is definitely an electrical issue. Mine just started smoking a few hours ago. Go to gamestop or any game store. They’ll help you out!
Yours may be a short. The rest of us are absolutely dealing with stinky controller grips. There is no help that Gamestop or any game store can offer. The dang controller smells like old cheese-feet! lol
Just so you guys know… some people may not be experiencing this because of they way they hold the controller. If you hold the controller and leave some space between the side of your palm and the grip, it won’t get stinky (because your hands are getting air and possibly not sweating as much).
People with bigger hands do not need to wrap them around the controller so tight. So I would take anyone’s opinion with a grain of salt if they do not experience this. And you also have a plausible explanation of why now.
Keep in mind, it’s that lack of air/sweat mixed with the grip (which contibutes to the smell and may also contribute to helping your hands sweat more without air) . I’m sure if you grip the regular controller the same way, it will not smell. It’s a combination of all the above.
regular, non-elite controller*
I have a buddy who uses an Elite controller and his doesn’t smell (according to him). I don’t have any problem believing that someone else doesn’t have the problem. It seems to be the ones who don’t have the issue that don’t believe us stinkers.
I’m not saying you don’t believe us, but we are outcast because of our smells. 🙁
As for the grip, I have big hands, but don’t grip it tightly at all. In fact, most of the time I don’t even sweat, which is why I think it might be a chemical reaction with skin types or subtle body oils. In any case, I will try to grip it to allow more air flow, but I still need to be able to reach those paddles.
Anyway, thanks for your suggestion.
No problem! I definitely believe you, it has happened to me too.
Here is another suggestion. I researched and they appear to work with the Xbox One Elite controller and not interfere with the paddles. Make sure you do a good job cleaning the controller before putting these on or they will not stick. One reviewer said even after he did rubbing alcohol it didn’t, but after using a special cleaner it worked perfect!
https://www.amazon.com/SquidGrip-Xbox-One-Controllers/dp/B00HHJBG5A/
Mine stinks too I hate it so much I always wash my hands after I even touch my controller I thought I was alone so I don’t talk about it if anyone finds a solution please post it here and for me I just leave the smell and hope it’s not horrible when I get off my Xbox
I bought two and they both made my hands smell like number 2. I am OCD when it comes to washing hands and the controllers never had any gunk built up, they looked brand new. All I can think is the rubber soaks up the sweat causing bacteria to build up. As in your experience none of my other controllers have this issue nor any controller I’ve used in all my years of gaming. I traded these into Game Stop. Sad the original cost of the Elites was more than $300 but when trading for two base controllers at Game Stop I had to add an additional $10 to make the trade go through. Oh well, live and learn. At least I’m more satisfied with the new base controllers and no longer stink.
It sucks that you had to give up on the otherwise great Elite controller. There are some games I can’t even play anymore without my Elite. I’m just fully aware of washing my hands after those sessions. Way to be stink-free though.
I just started noticing an odor from my Elite. I pre-ordered and have had it since day one, so it took a while for the odor to set in.
Thanks for the cleaning tips — just what I was looking for!
Glad I could help. Good luck!
I’m relieved that I’m not the only one having this strange problem, you described the smell very accurately and came to the same conclusion as I did. Weirdly enough, the smell only occurs on the left side of my controller. I already cleaned it thoroughly with toothpick and glasses cleaning wipes onceabout half a year ago, guess I’ll just have to do it again.
I haven’t read all the posts but this may work for some people it did for me anyways. I took a pair of nitrile gloves and cut the thumbs off then took the cut out pieces and stretched them over the right and left hand grip. It’s a snug fit so it took some effort to get them to go on. If anyone tries this I recommend using gloves that are thick mine are 10mil. I actually like the feel with the gloves better than the stock rubber. And best of all no smell.
-Bible believer
Thanks, brother! I’d love to try this some time. It’s a great-sounding workaround.
The smell is described perfectly. It’s been getting worse and worse on my elite over extended gameplay sessions, and my hands are always very clean before I start.
I’ve been using gold bond powder on my hands to manage it, but it’s not enough. Don’t think I’d use alcohol though, as that may damage the grip material. I’ll give the Clorox wipes a go.
Oh, and I saw that Reddit thread. Most of the respondents have the maturity level of a chilli cheese dog.
Thanks for the support. I still think MS needs an Elite version 2 that scraps the grips of the current one, and incorporates Bluetooth. I have enough stick-drift now that I’d probably buy a new one day one. Come on, Microsoft. Make it happen!
No stink
Bluetooth
higher quality analog modules, you cheapskates
Does it really need to be 150 dollars?
Unfortunately, the new elite 2 controller now has grip around the whole thing… lol. I still have one ordered… maybe they used a different material, but it looks the same.
FYI—the link I shared above for the squid grips—those worked perfectly. I’d rather not have them on the controller, but they prevented the smell, and they actually felt kinda nice (just added a little bit of bulk). They are worth it, though.
Mine is preordered too and I’m nervous. I’m really hoping for a material change.
I cleaned mine a week ago and it’s already starting to smell again. Glad it’s not only me
Yeah, I get about a week, maybe two. Then it’s back to funkytown.