Videogames night was always a favourite night of the week for the guys. Playing Xbox, Playstation or Nintendo on your own or online is cool but there’s nothing quite like local multiplayer games.

The added competitive edge of being in the same room, whether it’s one of those controller-less games where you have to move all the furniture, a split screen game or even a game that involves passing the controller back and forth in the quest for a high score, the laughter, the taunting, the bragging, it’s right there, in your ear!

What follows could almost be a true story!

Bloke: Sneezer, Wheezer and Scratchy are coming over tonight, is that okay?

Blokes Girlfriend: That’s fine as long you tidy up afterwards, I’m off out with the girls, I am not staying here on games night – no way!

Bloke: That’s cool, we’ll make sure everything’s clean and tidy by the time you get in, we’re only playing winner stays on “beat ‘em ups” tonight…so we don’t need to move any furniture for golf.

Bloke’s Girlfriend: I’ve heard that before, see you later.

Bloke: (thinking to himself) I do enjoy games night but I wish the guys were a bit more hygiene conscious, especially Wheezer, he’s always spluttering all over the place! It’s a bit mean but perhaps I should give them all gloves and masks when we play?

(Over-exuberant knocking at the door)

Bloke: Come on in lads, How are ya? Nice to see you, go on through and have a warm up and I’ll get the drinks and nibbles.

(Thwacks, Thuds and Thumps are heard above the repetitive jangly J-pop)

Sneezer: (Sneezes and wipes his nose with a hand) First round to the SNEEZER! You’re all playing catch up now. Come on Scratchy you’re up.

(We don’t know if Scratchy just has gallons of nervous tension or some kind of skin condition but either way Scratchy scratches. Usually his face, ears and nose, sometimes his mouth and he scratches his cheek vigorously now after taking the first round from Sneezer)

Sneezer: Well played Scratchy my man, well played. You were just button mashing though, you’re going down in this round!

(Scratchy frantically mashes the buttons again and totally destroys Sneezer, who sneezes and then hands his controller to me)

Bloke: Steady where you sneeze there mate, we’ve all got to use these controllers ya know!

Sneezer: It’s all that button mashing, it put me off.

(In between scratches, Scratchy wins a close battle and it’s now up to Wheezer to take him down)

Bloke/Sneezer/Scratchy: COME ON WHEEZER!

(The toilet flushes and Wheezer bounds down the stairs and grabs the free controller. I remember thinking I didn’t hear any hand washing going on…Ewww!)

Wheezer: (Coughing and spluttering) this is it then Scratchy, the moment of truth, the moment you become a loser! Button mashing or not, (splutter) you’re winning days are over my friend.

(Much to Wheezer’s dismay, Scratchy remains unbeaten and then goes on to beat Sneezer again, so it’s my turn once more)

Bloke: (thinking to himself) I don’t know about sneezy and weezy over there but I am starting to feel a bit queasy with all these germs floating around, there could be anything on those controllers now!

Bloke: I think I’ll skip my turn and make another round of drinks, you guys carry on.

(Bloke didn’t play another round that night and Sneezy was crowned undefeated Champion of the evening. When the guys had gone, Bloke spent 20 minutes cleaning each controller!)

Even with good hand washing hygiene, games controllers and the consoles themselves can get really grubby and covered in potentially dangerous bacteria, so it’s really important to spend a few minutes after each gaming session, cleaning the controllers and making sure they are like new for next time. There are cleaning kits available that are perfect for the job.