In this post, we share our experiences on essential steps to keep a gaming mouse clean. We try to keep our gaming mice permanently clean, and with the tips and step-by-step instructions, you can do it too!
What you will need
If you want to clean a gaming mouse or a simple computer mouse, just gather some utensils that you have lying around at home. If you’re going to clean your mouse regularly and do it properly, it’s best to get a good cleaner as a spray and a microfiber cloth.
You can also use kitchen paper for cleaning. However, this often leaves behind lint.
Other useful tools and alternatives are dishwashing liquid, roller cleaner, compressed air spray, tweezers, toothpicks, and cotton swabs.
We recommend the following tools for extensive cleaning:
- microfiber cloth
- Q-tips
- cleaner spray
- Isopropyl alcohol
- toothpicks
- air spay
How to clean a Gaming Mouse in 5 Steps
To clean your gaming mouse, follow these 5 simple steps:
#1 Disconnect the Mouse from the PC
Disconnect your mouse from the power source first to protect your mouse when using water and cleaning products.
#2 Clean the Outside
It is best to clean your mouse systematically from the outside to the inside. The more often you do this, the easier and faster it will be. Spray the mouse with the cleaner and thoroughly wipe/rub all sides with the microfiber cloth. The laser sensor can also withstand this cleaning method.
If you have a few years to catch up, take care of the stubborn spots and work on them with a bit more liquid. However, make sure that the liquid doesn’t run into the cracks and gaps but stays on the surface.
For tough cases, use a more aggressive alcohol-based agent such as isopropanol to get rid of everything. However, with cheap mice, this method can lead to damage or change the outer layer. However, nothing should happen with good gaming mice.
My recommendation: Start cleaning your gaming mouse with a more gentle method. Possibly that will be enough. Then the use of dishwashing detergent or strong cleaning agents is redundant anyway.
#3 Clean the Gaps
You have to be careful when cleaning the inside and the gaps because they are sometimes hard to reach. The places under the mouse buttons and keys are best reached with a toothpick, which you can use to remove the dirt. An alternative is to use compressed air to remove dust.
To clean the mouse wheel, use a commercially available roller cleaner. Alternatively, cleaning can also be done with a cleaning agent. However, this method can lead to restrictions in the functioning of the mouse wheel.
#4 Open the Mouse in Case of heavy Soiling
Opening a gaming mouse is possible with a small screwdriver. The important thing is that everything is back exactly where it was initially. Sounds logical, but in reality, it’s sometimes not that easy.
First, loosen the tiny screws and lift the frame from the body. Inside, remove the dust and individual crumbs as carefully as possible. Sometimes it helps to do only a minimal cleaning so that the mouse works perfectly again.
You can lift out the mouse wheel and clean it individually with a roller cleaner.
#5 Screw the Mouse back on and plug it in
If you have unscrewed your mouse, screw everything back on as stably and tightly as possible. After cleaning, you can reconnect your mouse to its usual power source and use it as usual.
Tip: Follow the step-by-step instructions every few months to ensure that your mouse doesn’t get too dirty.
Why should I clean my Gaming Mouse regularly?
If you don’t clean your gaming mouse, the mouse sensor might get dirty after a while. This means that the mouse no longer reacts as sensitively to your movements, which can cost valuable time and thus victories, especially in fast online games.
Every technical product needs care and maintenance. Otherwise, you shorten the life span massively.
Furthermore, grease and dirt particles gradually get into the small openings of the mouse, which can also cause problems in the technical inner workings of the mouse after a longer period. Moreover, it’s not a nice feeling when you constantly touch a dirty, greasy, and sticky mouse.
These should have been enough valid reasons to tackle the long-needed cleaning of your gaming mouse finally.
What causes a Gaming Mouse to get dirty?
Gaming mice are usually in daily use and are exposed to everyday life influences. Here, a variety of reasons, such as sweat, food residues, grease, liquids, and much more come together to dirty the mouse.
Everyone knows it: Eating a bag of chips while gaming and grease stains on your mouse are guaranteed. In general, you should pay attention to your PC accessories when consuming drinks or food, especially greasy food should be avoided.
Not only will it damage your mouse, but working or gaming with a sticky and greasy mouse is no fun at all. House dust and skin particles are other problems that can harm your mouse. Most of the time, you don’t see these particles at first, but they accumulate considerably after a while.
