When the Mouse IS the Sticky Trap
January 31, 2009 5:39 PM Subscribe
How to stop my mouse from feeling all greasy and sticky. (Despite the sound of the question, this is in fact SFW.)
My writing partner and I work all day on my computer. He uses the mouse. His nervous habit is to touch his hair. At the end of the day, my mouse has a revolting greasy, sticky feel to it. And rather than be a dick and ask my partner to never touch his hair again, I'd like to know if there's a way that I can simply and quickly clean the mouse when he's done.
It's a Logitech MX-510, so it has smooth plastic and rubberized parts. Both sections get like this, but the rubberized sections more so.
My writing partner and I work all day on my computer. He uses the mouse. His nervous habit is to touch his hair. At the end of the day, my mouse has a revolting greasy, sticky feel to it. And rather than be a dick and ask my partner to never touch his hair again, I'd like to know if there's a way that I can simply and quickly clean the mouse when he's done.
It's a Logitech MX-510, so it has smooth plastic and rubberized parts. Both sections get like this, but the rubberized sections more so.
You should go to the drugstore and get some of those miniature packets of alcohol hand wipes (not triclosan but alcohol). Alcohol is a solvent and will dissolve oil. This thread suggests no real problems using alcohol, and if it's just a $15 mouse then I wouldn't worry much about it. The alternate idea is to get a second mouse and just swap yours in.
posted by crapmatic at 5:47 PM on January 31, 2009
posted by crapmatic at 5:47 PM on January 31, 2009
Unless you want to wipe it down everyday with something like Lysol wipes, perhaps it may be easier to have your own mouse. If they're USB-based rather than PS/2, you should be able to even leave both plugged-in.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 5:47 PM on January 31, 2009
posted by hungrysquirrels at 5:47 PM on January 31, 2009
Gah, crapmatic beat me to it by seconds.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 5:48 PM on January 31, 2009
posted by hungrysquirrels at 5:48 PM on January 31, 2009
Might as well go anti-bacterial if you're getting hand wipes.
Remember what Mr Jinx says
'I hate greases to pieces.'
posted by artdrectr at 6:03 PM on January 31, 2009
Remember what Mr Jinx says
'I hate greases to pieces.'
posted by artdrectr at 6:03 PM on January 31, 2009
Microfiber cloth, like you use to clean glasses and screens.
posted by The Michael The at 6:51 PM on January 31, 2009
posted by The Michael The at 6:51 PM on January 31, 2009
Be aware that alcohol-based cleaners may have a negative effect on plastic mice.
posted by paulg at 7:03 PM on January 31, 2009
posted by paulg at 7:03 PM on January 31, 2009
Monitor wipes. Sold in most computer stores and Best Buy.
posted by Susurration at 7:30 PM on January 31, 2009
posted by Susurration at 7:30 PM on January 31, 2009
I would also suggest something like monitor wipes. Biore ones have stuff in them to treat the skin, too, that leave their own residue. They're also expensive. Alcohol wipes might eventually wipe off the coating of the plastic.
posted by fructose at 7:27 AM on February 1, 2009
posted by fructose at 7:27 AM on February 1, 2009
Clorox wipes or alchohol. Isn't going to hurt anything as long as you let it dry/evaporate before using it again. Been doing this for 20 years... mostly harmless.
posted by zengargoyle at 7:34 AM on February 1, 2009
posted by zengargoyle at 7:34 AM on February 1, 2009
Seconding a second mouse. Even a really nice, quality mouse will run you less than 50 bucks, and now that we live in the USB age, you can connect them both simultaneously.
posted by qvtqht at 6:57 PM on February 20, 2009
posted by qvtqht at 6:57 PM on February 20, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jenkinsEar at 5:46 PM on January 31, 2009