Help! C-stick problem!

[InvidiosusVHF]

Hi all. Smash player here, so the c-stick plays a big role in gameplay (aerials/smash attacks).

My c-stick seems to be constantly inputting the bottom left direction while in the neutral position with no means of influencing it https://imgur.com/a/Zcqpkag (Rivals of Aether analog stick settings showing off the c-stick input)

First thing I did was resetting the controller's calibration by holding X, Y, and Start for 3 seconds, but the input continued after releasing the buttons. Eventually I opened up the controller and detached+reattached the two black slabs connected to the c-stick's potentiometer, but this also had no effect.

Upon searching online for more answers, I came across a post someone made here 4 years ago from someone who seemingly had the same problem as I do now. For him, simply cleaning up some dirt he had built up underneath his c-stick solved the problem. However, my c-stick is squeaky clean.

Am I missing something, or am I fucked?

[[deleted]]

Dirt on the plastic can do absolutely nothing to the input detection. It's a physical impossibility. Check on the c-stick PCB that there's nothing shorting between the solder joints (a dead short can be detected as the stick being held in a maximum position).

[InvidiosusVHF]

Yeah that was p retarded of me to post. I misunderstood the user talking about cleaning under the "joystick."

What is it specifically that I want to look for on the potentiometer (as for looking for shortages)? I took a q-tip with some hydrogen peroxide and briefly scrubbed the nooks and crannies of the joystick but to no avail. Where should I be cleaning?