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Care Guide | System Care: Protecting Your PC | Care of Specific Components ]
Mice
Like keyboards, mice are devices that are handled a great deal and are therefore
subjected to a fair bit of abuse--and dirt. Most mice are much more sensitive to dirt than
keyboards are, however. The reason is of course simple: the ball that rolls on the surface
of the desk to provide movement. If the ball becomes dirty then it doesn't roll properly,
and your cursor won't move smoothly. And of course, these balls are designed to have
"traction" to grip your desk or mousepad, and as a consequence they grip most
dirt and dust well too.
While most mice are cheap enough to practically be considered throw-away items, they
get dirty enough to stop functioning properly far too often for the "disposable
mouse" to ever become popular. I recommend the following be done to care for the
mouse:
- Clean the Mouse Regularly: I recommend cleaning the mouse on a monthly basis.
This includes cleaning the mouse ball, and also the rollers on the inside of the unit.
Rubbing alcohol is the best thing to use for the mouse ball (don't pour alcohol into the
mouse body though.)
- Check the Cable and Connector: Make sure that the cable does not get stuck in any
part of your desk or workspace, to prevent damage. There should be slack in the cable as
well; if it is pulled too tight this can damage the mouse, the cable, or worse, the plug
on the motherboard where they keyboard connects to it. PS/2-style mice that use the round
DIN connectors are probably more susceptible to damage than the 9-pin D-connectors used by
serial mice. In either case though, damage is easily avoidable.
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