Dr. Ralph's Practical Mouse Keeping Your Mouse Healthy

Your trusty mouse is a critical part of your computer and has to survive rather dirty conditions on a regular basis. By properly cleaning your mouse, many symptoms can be avoided. Most of the problems are caused by buildups of dust and oil from your hands. By carefully cleaning your mouse periodically, you can keep it fit.

First you must determine the type of mouse you have; there are two. If your mouse has a special optical plate on which is must be used which has fine stripes across the surface, it is an optical mouse. If instead it has a little rubber-surfaced ball inside which is visible from the bottom, it is a mechanical mouse, also known as an opto-mechanical mouse. Please refer to the appropriate section below.

The Optical Mouse

Although some manufacturers would have you believe that the optical mice have no problems this is not the case.

Symptom and Cause

• Sticky mouse - As you try to move the mouse over it's optical pad, it tends to drag against your hand as if it's trying to stick to the pad. This is cause by flattened felt pads under the mouse and a buildup of dust and hand oils on the optical pad.

Cleaning Procedure

• Clean only the optical pad with a mild soap and water. Make sure to rinse all the soap away and dry the pad completely.
• Locate a lint brush (usually used for clothing) and gently brush the dust away from the felt pads underneath the mouse.
• Test the mouse. If it still has problems, more extensive repairs may be in order like replacing the felt pads or fixing a bad electrical connection.

The Mechanical Mouse

Before we take another step, every mechanical mouse requires one important thing: a pad. Without a cloth-surfaced rolling pad, the life of the mouse will be seriously shortened: get one! With that out of the way we can get on to the maintenance.

Symptoms and Causes

• Lagging - As you roll your mouse the cursor seems to get stuck periodially as if the ball is slipping. This is caused by a buildup of hand oils on the ball causing its surface to become slippery, and a result not turning the internal rollers.
• Bumping - You can feel bumps as your roll the mouse across the pad. This is caused by a buildup of dust and hand oils stuck to the internal rollers.

Cleaning Procedure

• Remove the mouse ball through the bottom as per the manufacturers instructions. Generally you will rotate or slide a small retaining plate which surrounds the opening.
• Clean only the ball using a mild soap and water. Make sure to rinse all the soap away and dry the ball completely.
• Through the opening in the bottom, using a pair of tweezers, gently coax out any dust which may be wrapped around the rollers, and elsewhere inside the mouse.
• If there is a buildup of dust and hand oils on the rollers, you can use a Q-tip and some alcohol to clean these rollers. Be careful not to leave Q-tip threads inside the mouse.
• Reinsert the clean, dry ball into the mouse housing, and replace the small retaining plate.
• Test the mouse. If it still has problems, more extensive repairs may be in order like retensioning the internal spring roller or fixing a bad electrical connection.