Or, if you are a PC gamer, you may have those days when your aim is just off, and you can’t perform in games as you used to. Sometimes it could be because of your mousepad being dirty. If you leave your mousepad for too long without cleaning it, it will end up with a zone where you use your mousepad most frequently, with a lot of scratches, and naturally, your mouse will not perform well, and you might get frustrated. Moreover, if you have a bigger mousepad, the “dirty zone” of the mousepad, where you mostly use your mouse, will behave differently than the clean zone, and it will be like changing your mouse sensitivity every time your mouse moves from clean zone to dirty zone or vice versa. You can rub both the clean zone and dirty zone of your mousepad with your nails to see the difference. Try rubbing both zones one by one in the upwards direction, and you’ll see that the dirty area will leave some marks while the clean area will leave minimal marks. And if you don’t clean your mouse for too long, it will end with dirty zones all around your mousepad. It will not only affect your mouse movement but will also mess it up, and it will start looking dirty. Just like every PC component, cleaning a mousepad from time to time is also necessary for the smooth functioning of your mouse. I mean, what’s the point if you have an expensive mouse, but it does not perform as it should just because of a dirty mousepad? Let’s discuss some methods of how to clean a mousepad, depending on the type of mousepad you own.
How To Clean A Mousepad: Three Methods Explained!
There are different methods of cleaning a mousepad depending on the type of mousepad you have. You may have a hard mousepad, a fabric mousepad, or a mousepad with RGB. Also, there are different sizes of mousepads. So, depending on the size and type of the mousepad, let’s discuss different methods of cleaning a mousepad.
How To Clean A Hard Mousepad
1 – With a cloth Using an old piece of cloth that you normally use for cleaning purposes is one of the methods to clean a hard mousepad. Or if you do not have an old piece of cloth, get a small, new piece of cloth from the market. You can also get a smaller size towel for this purpose. Other than the towel or cloth, you also need a liquid hand soap for this purpose. Liquid hand soap is commonly available in every household, so you should have no problem finding it. However, you can alternatively use the detergent, or even dishwashing soap for cleaning purposes, but liquid hand soap is the best choice. Once you have the towel or a piece of cloth and liquid hand soap, you can perform these steps to clean your mousepad with a hard surface.
First, get the towel or the piece of paper wet under a tap. Put some liquid soap on the wet towel. Remember, a little soap is just enough to clean the mousepad. Now scrubbing your mousepad with the towel or cloth you are using. Carefully scrub all of the mousepad and make sure that all the dirt and stains are clean. Now rinse the mousepad thoroughly with fresh water under the tap. Make sure that all the soap is washed away and you’ve rinsed it properly. Now put the mousepad away for drying. Make sure that the mousepad is completely dried before using it again.
That is it, your mousepad with a hard/plasticky surface is ready to use. If it gets dirty again, you can repeat the process above. 2 – With a Sponge A hard mousepad can also be cleaned with the help of a sponge, and this method is not very different than the method explained above. For this method, you need liquid hand soap, a sponge, and tap water. After you get the things above, follow these steps to clean your hard mousepad with the help of a sponge and water.
Get your mousepad wet under the tap water. Put some liquid soap on the sponge and get it wet too. Remember, a little soap goes a long way. Now scrub the surface of the mousepad thoroughly. Make sure that all the dirt and stains are cleaned properly. Now rinse the mousepad properly with clean water and make sure there is no soap left on it. Let your mousepad dry properly before using it again.
Your mousepad is ready to use again.
How To Clean A Fabric Mousepad
Fabric mousepads are also very common, and they can differ in size as well. If you have a full-size table mousepad, then you can use a different method to clean it, and if you have a smaller fabric mousepad, you can use a different method. 1 – How to Clean a Full-Size Fabric Mousepad A full-size fabric mousepad is one that stretches across at least half of your table, and you can place your keyboard on it as well. To clean the large fabric mousepad, you need a good quality detergent and a bathtub to wash it properly. Let’s discuss the process step by step on how to clean a large fabric mousepad.
Fill up your bathtub with shallow water, you do not need to fill it fully as the mousepad will submerge even in shallow water. Put some good quality detergent in the water and mix it properly. Now put some detergent on the mousepad and scrub it. Put the mousepad into the bathtub and make sure it is fully submerged in water. Now scrub the submerged mousepad with a sponge and make sure it gets cleaned properly. Now get the mousepad out of the bathtub and rinse it properly with clean water. Now put it somewhere so that mousepad can dry properly.
Your mousepad is now clean and ready to use again. 2 – How to Clean a Small Size Fabric Mousepad A smaller size fabric mousepad can also be cleaned in a bathtub following the method discussed above. Or it can be washed using the same method by filling the water in a sink instead of a bathtub. You can also use liquid hand soap in place of detergent. And if a bathtub is not available at your house and you have a large mousepad, you can wash it in a sink as well. 3 – Washing a Fabric Mousepad in a Washing Machine There is one more thing to mention that some fabric mousepads are also washable in a washing machine. You just need to make sure that your mouse mousepad is machine washable, and then you can wash it in a machine without a hassle. In a washing machine, wash it like any other piece of cloth. Just add some good quality detergent in the washing machine with water, throw your mousepad into it and wait for the machine to finish washing it. While washing your mousepad in a machine, wash it separately without any other clothes with it. This is very necessary. After you completely wash the fabric mousepad in a machine, put it somewhere to dry, and then use it when it dries completely. Both small and large fabric mousepads can be washed in a machine, but you have to be sure that it is machine washable.
How To Clean A Mousepad With RGB Light
Nowadays, a lot of mousepads come with a wire and RGB light. Such mousepads have electric components inside them, and it becomes tricky to wash them. Washing them is tricky but not difficult. If you have a mousepad with RGB light, you need a small piece of clean cloth, some water, and liquid hand soap. After you get these items, follow the steps below to clean your mousepad with RGB light.
First of all, make sure that the wire of your mousepad is disconnected from it. Now put some liquid soap on a small, clean piece of cloth and wet it mildly. Now start cleaning your RGB mousepad carefully. Make sure that the cloth does not touch the edged as they have RGB lights. So you have to be very careful about it. After you clean your RGB mousepad, get another clean and dry piece of cloth and thoroughly clean the remaining soap left on the mousepad. After you clean it properly with another piece of cloth, clean it again with tissue papers and make sure that the mousepad is completely dried while cleaning it with tissue papers. Use as many tissue papers as required for this purpose.
Now your RGB mousepad is completely dry and ready to use.
Can You Clean Your Mousepad In A Washing Machine?
It depends on the type of mousepad you have. A hard mousepad or a mousepad with a plasticky surface is not washable in a washing machine as the machine will break it into pieces. Similarly, a mousepad with RGB light cannot be washed in the machine as it has electronic components inside it. However, some fabric mousepads can be washed in a washing machine. Before washing a mousepad in a machine, make sure that your mousepad is machine washable.
How Often Should You Clean Your Mousepad?
It depends on your usage and the environment in which you use your computer. You should clean your mousepad whenever you feel like your mouse is not responsive as it should be. It happens when some dust accumulates on the mousepad, and it affects its tracking. Moreover, if you spill a cold drink or any other liquid on your mousepad by mistake, quickly clean it. And if you generally feel that your mousepad is dirty, clean it.
How Not To Clean Your Mousepad?
A mousepad should only be cleaned with the methods mentioned above. Do not put your RGB mousepad under tap water or in a bathtub. Similarly, do not put your hard mousepad or RGB mousepad in a washing machine. You can clean your fabric mousepad in a washing machine but before that, make sure that it is machine washable. Whenever you feel like there is some dust or stains on your pad, wash it. And washing method depends on the type of mousepad you have.
#1 – How do I clean the bottom of my mouse pad?
If you have a fabric mousepad, the bottom will be cleaned automatically when you will submerge the mousepad in water. The bottom of an RGB pad should be cleaned with the same care as the top. And the bottom of a hard pad can be cleaned with a piece of cloth and some water.
#2 – Can a dirty mousepad affect gaming?
Yes, it absolutely does affect your gaming experience. You might have noticed when playing games that sometimes your aim is just off, and you cannot aim and kill as many enemies as you used to do. This could be because of a dirty mousepad. As some specific area of a pad is used more and the other area is used less, that area starts casing troubles which you use the most as it accumulates most dust.
#3 – How do you clean an LED mouse pad?
LED mousepad should be cleaned with great care. Before cleaning it, it should be made sure that the wire is disconnected. Then clean it with a clean cloth with great care, and the edges of the mousepad should not be touched as they contain electronic components.
#4 – Can you wash Corsair mouse pads?
Yes, a Corsair mousepad can be washed just like any other mousepad. The method will depend upon the type of mousepad you have.
#5 – Do mousepads wear out?
Yes, mousepads do wear out, and after several washes, the experience will not be the same as a new pad.
#6 – How long do mousepads last?
Generally, you do not need to worry for years after getting a mousepad. They last several years.
#7 – How do you clean a mouse pad without water?
You can check the method of cleaning an RGB mousepad above.
#8 – Can you clean a mouse pad with alcohol?
No, washing your pad with alcohol is not advisable. Water is enough to clean a pad properly. Sources: https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Mousepadhttps://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-clean-mousepad/https://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-clean-your-mouse-pad/https://steelseries.com/blog/how-clean-cloth-fabric-mousepad-191
