Well you can fix them & re-export them somewhat simply.
It occurred to me after I posted before that I should have put intructions how to do that without getting the CC back in your game, & was going to add that...
The surest way to keep the CC out is to start a fresh game folder.
To do that (without losing the current one) rename the "Sims 3" folder in documents/electronic arts, I usually just add "-backup" to the folder name. You could move it to a different location in the computer as well. If you aren't sure about doing this yourself, I think you said you have another, more tech-savvie half?
Once you have your main game backed up & out of the way, start the launcher & let it spawn a new game folder. Now you have a "quarantine" game folder.
Then put the sims3packs from the other folder's exports into the new folder's downloads, I also copy the first game's options.ini file into the new folder so I don't have to go through configuring that again. Anyway, install the sims into the new game, & get into CAS, make a copy of each sim by saving it to the bin, then delete the original imported versions.
That's the important part here, it gets rid of any CC they might be carrying. The trash button in CAS is faster than uninstalling from the launcher, IMO, but either way accomplishes the same thing, getting rid of the all the imported sims. If you're still in CAS, close the game.
In the quarantine folder, delete the DCcache files to get rid of anything that might be in the left in launcher & the 0x's in DCbackup, then go back & delete your caches.
Start the game again, go into CAS and export the sims that you saved as copies.
Just selecting them for export should be enough to refresh their outfits in CAS, but you can click though the outfit categories to make sure each one gets "remade" before you export the sim if you want. Don't worry if the outfits get remade differently, the sims are only in this new game for disinfecting, you can fix their outfits later. Be sure to name the exports something disambiguous like "sim name no cc".
When you're done exporting, close the game & take the new exported files out of the quarentine game folder & put them in a safe folder.
It might be interesting at this point to compare the new exports with the old ones, the new files will probably be a lot smaller than the old ones, now that you've got any attached CC out of them.
Your simself was 6.22 MB originally, but exported sans CC, is a svelte 885 KB.
(I should probably make a witty weight loss joke, but I'm too tired to think of one, so let's just pretend I did)
Once your new, clean exports are in a safe place..... delete the quarentine folder.
Then put your original game folder back the way it was.
Done!
Now you can put your clean sim files in exports & upload them as is, or install them into your main game & change their outfits first, or whatever you want.
The only problem I've had with making extra game folders was one time when I started a new save in my main folder & it wanted me to do the tutorial again...pretty sure it was from me messing with some of the game files tho.
I've got several The Sims 3 folders on my computer. Each one is for a different purpose and it is all to do with cc. For example if I find a new world I want to try out and it has cc with it I'll put it in a separate Sims 3 folder so that cc doesn't get mixed up with my regular games.
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It occurred to me after I posted before that I should have put intructions how to do that without getting the CC back in your game, & was going to add that...
The surest way to keep the CC out is to start a fresh game folder.
To do that (without losing the current one) rename the "Sims 3" folder in documents/electronic arts, I usually just add "-backup" to the folder name. You could move it to a different location in the computer as well. If you aren't sure about doing this yourself, I think you said you have another, more tech-savvie half?
Once you have your main game backed up & out of the way, start the launcher & let it spawn a new game folder. Now you have a "quarantine" game folder.
Then put the sims3packs from the other folder's exports into the new folder's downloads, I also copy the first game's options.ini file into the new folder so I don't have to go through configuring that again. Anyway, install the sims into the new game, & get into CAS, make a copy of each sim by saving it to the bin, then delete the original imported versions.
That's the important part here, it gets rid of any CC they might be carrying. The trash button in CAS is faster than uninstalling from the launcher, IMO, but either way accomplishes the same thing, getting rid of the all the imported sims. If you're still in CAS, close the game.
In the quarantine folder, delete the DCcache files to get rid of anything that might be in the left in launcher & the 0x's in DCbackup, then go back & delete your caches.
Start the game again, go into CAS and export the sims that you saved as copies.
Just selecting them for export should be enough to refresh their outfits in CAS, but you can click though the outfit categories to make sure each one gets "remade" before you export the sim if you want. Don't worry if the outfits get remade differently, the sims are only in this new game for disinfecting, you can fix their outfits later. Be sure to name the exports something disambiguous like "sim name no cc".
When you're done exporting, close the game & take the new exported files out of the quarentine game folder & put them in a safe folder.
It might be interesting at this point to compare the new exports with the old ones, the new files will probably be a lot smaller than the old ones, now that you've got any attached CC out of them.
Your simself was 6.22 MB originally, but exported sans CC, is a svelte 885 KB.
(I should probably make a witty weight loss joke, but I'm too tired to think of one, so let's just pretend I did)
Once your new, clean exports are in a safe place..... delete the quarentine folder.
Then put your original game folder back the way it was.
Done!
Now you can put your clean sim files in exports & upload them as is, or install them into your main game & change their outfits first, or whatever you want.
The only problem I've had with making extra game folders was one time when I started a new save in my main folder & it wanted me to do the tutorial again...pretty sure it was from me messing with some of the game files tho.
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW44b3uCMtCSaq4gwC8EZg