You touch your mouse more often than almost anything else on the desk. Skin oil, dust and crumbs collect around the buttons, in the scroll wheel and on the feet. Over time this can make buttons feel sticky, the wheel skip and the pointer jitter. A gentle clean every month or two keeps a mouse feeling and working like new.
What you need
- A soft, lint-free cloth
- Isopropyl alcohol (around 70 percent) or a mild soapy solution
- Cotton swabs and a soft brush
- Compressed air, used in short bursts
- A toothpick or plastic pick for gaps
Avoid harsh cleaners, bleach and abrasive pads, which can damage coatings and plastics.
Safety first
Unplug a wired mouse, or switch off a wireless one and remove the battery if possible. Never spray liquid directly onto the mouse; apply it to the cloth or swab instead. Liquid that runs into the switches can cause faults.
A safe cleaning routine
- Unplug or switch off the mouse
- Brush and blow dust from gaps
- Wipe the shell with a damp cloth
- Clean the wheel and feet with swabs
- Let it dry fully before use
Buttons and gaps
Run a dry toothpick or soft brush along the seams around the buttons to lift out debris. Use a few short bursts of compressed air into the gaps, holding the can upright so no propellant liquid escapes. Grime around the buttons can make clicks feel inconsistent, and sometimes cleaning resolves what seemed like a switch problem.
Scroll wheel
Roll the wheel while wiping it with a lightly dampened swab. Blow out dust around it with compressed air. A wheel that skips or squeaks sometimes improves after cleaning, though a worn encoder will need repair or replacement.
Feet and sensor
Wipe the mouse feet with a slightly damp cloth to remove built-up grime, which affects glide. Gently clean the sensor window with a dry swab or a swab barely touched with alcohol. Hair or dust over the sensor is a common cause of a jumpy pointer.
| Problem | Cleaning that often helps |
|---|---|
| Sticky or uneven buttons | Clear the seams around buttons |
| Skipping scroll wheel | Clean around and on the wheel |
| Jittery pointer | Clean the sensor window |
| Scratchy glide | Clean the feet and the mouse pad |
Hygiene
Mice carry plenty of germs, especially shared ones. Wiping the shell with an alcohol-based wipe is an easy hygiene step. Let the alcohol evaporate completely before using the mouse.
Do not open it unless you mean to
Opening a mouse to clean the switches directly is possible, but it often involves hidden screws under the feet, can break clips and usually voids the warranty. If a switch still misbehaves after an external clean, see our guide on a mouse double clicking by itself before taking it apart.
After cleaning
- Mouse is completely dry
- Buttons click evenly
- Wheel scrolls smoothly
- Pointer is steady
- Ten slow clicks register as ten
Cleaning a mouse pad and desk
A clean mouse on a dirty pad soon picks up grime again. Most cloth pads can be hand-washed in lukewarm water with a little mild soap, rinsed and left to dry completely, flat and away from direct heat. Hard pads can be wiped with a damp cloth. Wipe the desk area under the pad too, since crumbs underneath can create bumps.
Once a month, check the mouse feet for hair or fluff caught around the edges, which can make glide uneven.
Wireless mice and batteries
For wireless mice, check the battery compartment while cleaning. Leaking or corroded batteries can damage contacts, so remove disposable batteries if the mouse will not be used for a long time. For mice with built-in batteries, avoid cleaning while charging and keep the charging port free of dust with a gentle puff of air.