Disinfecting Games

[NesQuest | 93]

Are you guys disinfecting or quarantining games that are currently arriving at your door?  

I had a small shipment of NES games arrive yesterday that I’m leaving in the garage for a while.  Don’t think I want to spray Lysol or anything on those bad boys!

[Tulpa | 3,771]

Just set it aside for a few days. The virus appears to survive no more than three or so days on any given surface (less for cardboard, more for plastic.)

 

 

[RH | 5,422]

No. It takes them at least 3 days to get to my house, probably sat in a hot crate and/vans, I:m good.

[Gutling | 31]

I did well before this. Any pickups flea markets/yardsales/goodwill, even ebay purchases. Never know what someone was doing with it before got to your hands. When I would put them in my program on computer to keep track, I would wipe down with disinfect wet wipe, then look it over for any further issues like sticker residue/marker or whatever. Very rarely would the wipe be clean, almost all the time was brown if not worse.

[ICrappedMyPants | 302]

1 hour ago, Tulpa said:

Just set it aside for a few days. The virus appears to survive no more than three or so days on any given surface (less for cardboard, more for plastic.)

 

 

This! I just say bring them to a climate controlled area to sit for three days after delivery. 

[Tanooki | 5,257]

People are nasty, no matter how nice it appears.  I sanitize/clean the same way.  91% alcohol and some paper towel on any and every bit of it that the liquid itself won't wear down or ruin coming in contact with it.  The only 'new' would be the box/bag it came in I'd use some clorox wipes on that in case the mail person or others in contact with that had the funk, and instead of saving the materials depending what they are I toss em, and if they're worth it I'll just drop and let them sit on the floor for a week.  Then I just wash the hands, which I would anyway since again people are dirty.

[Retromangia | 3]

11 hours ago, Gutling said:

I did well before this. Any pickups flea markets/yardsales/goodwill, even ebay purchases. Never know what someone was doing with it before got to your hands. When I would put them in my program on computer to keep track, I would wipe down with disinfect wet wipe, then look it over for any further issues like sticker residue/marker or whatever. Very rarely would the wipe be clean, almost all the time was brown if not worse.

So true Gutling. I wipe everything down no matter how nice it looks.  9/10 times brown gunk comes off that you can't even see. Let's be honest most of these old games sit in people's garages, sheds, and storage lockers for decades. It's not until they come home with is that their treated with the love they deserve

Edited April 10, 2020 by Retromangia

[GPX | 1,444]

The main thing is to wash your hands after dealing with a new package. Germs could be present in the games in the previous home, but don’t forget they could literally have jumped on board just when it reaches your doorstop. Say thanks to the postman with their dirty grubby hands!

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,094]

13 hours ago, Gutling said:

I did well before this. Any pickups flea markets/yardsales/goodwill, even ebay purchases. Never know what someone was doing with it before got to your hands. When I would put them in my program on computer to keep track, I would wipe down with disinfect wet wipe, then look it over for any further issues like sticker residue/marker or whatever. Very rarely would the wipe be clean, almost all the time was brown if not worse.

Same here brother. If I can, I'll leave the games in my trunk or my car with the windows up since yard sales, flea markets are usually in the summer. That way any bugs that are hidden in the manuals or consoles will die from the heat before I bring them inside. Nothing worse than a creepy crawler come strolling out of a CIB NES game. 

[Mega Tank | 1,169]

14 hours ago, RH said:

No. It takes them at least 3 days to get to my house, probably sat in a hot crate and/vans, I:m good.

I don't believe it works like this. If your postal carrier has got the virus or anyone before them, then the time frame (depending on the surface) starts from when he/she last handled your item.

[RH | 5,422]

25 minutes ago, Mega Tank said:

I don't believe it works like this. If your postal carrier has got the virus or anyone before them, then the time frame (depending on the surface) starts from when he/she last handled your item.

True, but that's the exterior. I open the mailer (so far I've gotten stuff mostly in bubble mailers), toss the packaging and wash my hands thoroughly. It's the contents I'm not worried about. But, to be clear, if a game is filthy, I'll clean it anyway. So, I guess that's really my point. I'm not worried about the contents, but I do wash up after touching the packaging.

[a3quit4s | 4,531]

I wash my hands after opening packages and disposing of the cardboard/mailer/packaging. The stuff on the inside has been traveling for a good amount of time so I’m not worried about it. 

[Reed Rothchild | 10,067]

All mail goes in the garage for a bit to sit

[GPX | 1,444]

Sorry to dampen the mood but I just wanted to add an important extra tidbit. Recently the focus on the Covid19 has made a lot of us forget about all the other bugs that are still capable of infecting/killing us. Regarding bugs that can cause infection through skin contact, there can be a whole host of microbes from bacteria to fungi that can actually last for months on surfaces without disinfectants. 

Moral of the story:

- wash your hands after dealing with your packages/games!

- don’t wipe your mouth or pick your nose whilst handing pre-owned items!

[MisterGoomba | 137]

I've been doing this before covid-19 hit even if a game looks minty new and clean. I still give it a cleaning inside and out.

[T-Pac | 8,443]

I haven't bought any games since the virus started spreading, but I'd be sure to bust out some clorox wipes or something if I did.

-CasualCart

[Tanooki | 5,257]

I have.  It's a known what materials retain the bug and how long.  The stuff in the box, 3 days or less for having something creeping around still, so just don't use priority mail if you're concerned.  The outside, that's the issue, that's what clorox wipes are for.

 

Beyond that, any cleaning steps I'd have taken already since people are nasty, are done either way so getting mailed items to me is of no concern.  My only concern at the moment is I'm coming up on the back end of a Japanese shipment of Pokemon Shock Tetris for the little obscure pokemon mini still has not arrived and I'm getting annoyed.

[Dad Racer | 39]

Lately I have been putting a little extra care into things I receive in general - not just games. That could include letting it sit for a day or wiping them down with disinfecting wipes.