Sometimes owners of personal computers are faced with such a problem as inaccurate mouse operation, which is a consequence of dirty mouse pad. The cursor starts to twitch, movements are slowed down. The fact is that dust, dirt and grease, which tend to accumulate inside the pad under the controls of the computer, are brought inside the controller, which is responsible for the signal to the computer.
In order to work comfortably, all computer components should be cleaned periodically. How to wash the mat, what means can be used for this – read further in the article.
First of all, you need to know what material the mouse pad is made of in order to develop a proper care system. There is nothing complicated or non-trivial about this.
Typically, mouse stands come in three kinds:
- Of soft materials;
- Of hard plastic;
- with complex design and electronics.
Let’s look at how to wash a latex-based mouse pad that has a fabric cover on top.
Cleaning a fabric mouse pad.
It can be subjected to wet cleaning. This is done with a cloth or sponge that is soaked in a soapy solution. As detergents are the usual shampoo, soap, laundry detergent. It is necessary to gently wipe the places of contamination with a sponge, and then rinse the mat under water.
If the product is small, you can clean it in a basin of water. We put it on the bottom of the basin, take water at room temperature, add a cleaning agent of non-aggressive nature, and then gently with your hands begin to scrub the dirty areas. At the end of the process you should rinse the mat under running warm water, trying to remove all traces of the cleaning solution.
After the rinsing procedure, it is advisable to remove all liquid from the product as much as possible. To do this, use rags, dry sponges and towels. Squeezing and twisting such a thing is not allowed. If there is too much liquid, the mat is hung out on two clothespins on a clothesline in a ventilated place.
After it dries, it should be left unused for twenty-four hours to allow all moisture to finally evaporate. Be sure to check the surface of the product for moisture prior to use.
Use a dishwashing liquid to clean heavy and very old greasy soiling. It effectively removes grease and breaks down stubborn stains from the inside.
If the mat has a “control” coating, all cleaning should be accompanied by gentle hand movements. If the product is contaminated only with dust, it is better to use a vacuum cleaner to clean it.
How do you wash a mouse pad if its base is hard plastic? That’s what the next chapter will tell you.
Cleaning a hard-base mouse pad.
The principle of its cleaning is no different from its latex counterpart – we wipe it with a cloth soaked in a cleaning solution. Then we remove the detergent with water. The same dishwashing liquid will do an excellent job with dirt and grease. After all the water procedures, the rug should be well dried.
You can also use wet wipes soaked in a special solution for cleaning. When removing especially stubborn stains, use a cotton pad and an alcohol-containing liquid. This will remove grease and old dried up dirt fairly quickly.
Important: If you soiled the stand with anything, you need to take action immediately to remove traces of dirt. You don’t have to wait for them to dry. If you spilled something on your computer desk you go straight to the bathroom and get a rag and some cleaning agent and clean it up. If you develop this useful habit in yourself, then further cleaning will be limited to getting rid of dust, rather than wiping away ingrained old stains.
Whether a mouse pad can be washed if it’s electronically filled, find out in the next chapter.
Cleaning a mouse pad with electronics and unusual materials
Most types of modern mats are made of a wide variety of materials, and with electronic filling (adapters, USB connection). It would be quite logical to note that such products cannot be washed in water. For cleaning, special products are used, which are usually used to wash office equipment – foam, wet wipes, sprays.
Glassware is perfectly cleaned using a solution of ammonia diluted in water. It has the wonderful property of leaving no streaks.
Bamboo and leather mats are afraid of abundant wet cleaning. Therefore, care for them is limited to wiping with wet wipes. If you do venture to try a water operation – bamboo will swell and lose its shape.
Learn how to properly wash a well-known brand mouse pad in the next chapter.
The nuances of cleaning mousepads from different manufacturers
The main brands producing such products are – SteelSeries QcK, Roccat, Razer.
The first representative is a classic mat on a rubber base. It is distinguished by its strength. It perfectly withstands wet manual cleaning. Reviews of housewives say that after numerous washings such products still retain their performance properties.
Roccat makes some models with an aluminum layer. Their wet cleaning should be done very carefully. Do not use the product while it is still wet, let it dry completely. Rinse off any residual cleaning agent when washing. The best detergents are soap and water.
Razer makes a pretty impressive line of these products. Can I wash my mouse pad from this manufacturer? You need to look at the type of surface before you start cleaning it. Rough is afraid of treatment with a brush or sponge, but for the smooth, this method will be the most optimal. If the product has a coating of microfiber, then the care is limited to rinsing in warm water with soap. Rubbing is not allowed.
To summarize. We’ve looked at methods for cleaning computer control pads made of different materials. The task of how to wash the mat is mainly reduced to the use of soapy solution and a good further drying of the product. People who are professionally involved in gaming, pay a lot of money for such accessories. Therefore, it makes sense to keep them clean regularly and take proper care of them.
