PC Hardware in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition

Cleaning a Mouse

No, we don’t put mice through the dishwasher, although we may try that someday. Optical mice are sealed units, and so require little more than an occasional wipe with a damp cloth. How often you need to clean a mechanical mouse depends on your working environment. When we still used mechanical mice, Barbara, who is a true neatnik, needed to clean her mechanical mice only every few months. Robert, who smokes a pipe, needed to clean his mechanical mice every few days.

The best sign that a mechanical mouse needs to be cleaned is when mouse movement suddenly becomes jerky or intermittent, particularly if the problem is limited to one direction. A mouse has two cylindrical rollers, one each to capture horizontal and vertical movement, and may also have one or more idler wheels designed to keep the ball in position. Dirt on these rollers and wheels is normally the cause of jerkiness and other movement problems. The best way we’ve found to clean a mouse requires only a soft cloth, an old toothbrush, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Take the following steps:

1. Dampen the cloth with alcohol and use it to wipe down the mouse cord and the exterior of the mouse.

2. Remove the plate that retains the ball and allow the ball to drop into your hand. Use the damp cloth to clean the ball and plate thoroughly and set them aside.

3. With the mouse upside down and using a strong light, look down into the hole normally occupied by the ball. Blow or shake out any large fluff balls or other accumulated ...