Removing cat hair from mouse?

December 13, 2004 10:55 AM

I have one of those ancient so-uncool mouses with an ACTUAL BALL in it... and we have a cat. Though I clean this thing every damn day, I know there is a ton of cat hair in the parts I can't reach. How do I get it out without destroying the mouse? [mi]

I will get an optical mouse one of these days, I know... but this is what I have now. It keeps going crazy every few days, scrolling all over the place and I'm not even touching the thing, and when I open it up it's clean. I have, on occasion, been cleaning it and pulled out one cat hair only to find it attached to a whole hair ball... which is disgusting. So. Compressed air? I see no screws, how can I open the rest of it? Should I open the rest of it?

posted by heatherann to computers & internet (19 comments total)

$5.90
posted by quasistoic at 11:09 AM on December 13, 2004

There's probably a serial number etc. label on the bottom of the mouse which covers the screw. If you poke around that, probably near the center, with a small phillips head screwdriver, you will probably find the screw. Just push the screwdriver into it and turn the screw. It will tear a hole through the label as it's coming out. That's ok and it shouldn't affect the mouse feel. Doing so will void your warrenty, which is probably long expired anyway.

I've cleaned a lot of mice in my day and experience has shown me that it's often not worth it but it doesn't hurt to try:

The ball rubs against two rollers, one for X and one for Y. If you look at the rollers you'll probably see all sorts of crap gummed up on them. You may think it's a rubber pad on the rollers, but it's just crap that shouldn't be there. Scrape that off with a small screwdriver or knife.

Once you have the mouse opened, you'll see two wheels connected to those rollers. Those wheels each turn through a sensor, which is sort of an electric eye that can read how fast the mouse is moving. There could be some hair or other stuff blocking those sensors as well as the holes in the wheels.

Other than the ball, the rollers, the wheels, and the sensors, there isn't a lot to clean.
posted by bondcliff at 11:14 AM on December 13, 2004

First: This is disgusting. Please get rid of your cat before you post something like this again. Or shave it.

Second: I'm a little confused about your question. Exactly how much hair is in the mouse? There's not that much empty space, I would I think. You've removed it to the point where you can get the ball out? I've stopped ordering non-optical mice about a year ago, but still see a few of the hanger-ons. I simply twist where the ball is, it's like a sewer cover. The balls comes out and I use rubbing alcohol on it. You should also see two rollers that control the x and y axis. Make sure these are clean and free of anything obstructive. I really don't know where else the cat hair would hide and where else there'd be empty space in the mouse for it to keep hiding.

Your best bet is of course to spend $30 on a Logitech optical mouse instead of fooling aorund with this, but that's not answering your question well.
posted by geoff. at 11:15 AM on December 13, 2004

Optical mouse bonus: You can give that ball from your old ball-mouse to your cat, who will love it briefly then either grow bored or lose it under the furniture.
posted by Shane at 11:21 AM on December 13, 2004

What type of mouse is it? I just flipped over my Logitech M-BB48 and there's a big, obvious screw that grants me access to the filthy mouse internals.

If there's no obvious method to access the inside, you'll probably end up breaking something trying to get access to it. Here's what you'll find inside. It could be the sensors that are full of cat hair.

Save yourself the grief and get a new mouse. You can get a Logitech MX310 Corded Optical Mouse for $25 or an older Intellimouse for < $10.br>

[On preview, I second shaving the cat. Where I work, most of our IT department is staffed by shaved cats. They're very adept at troubleshooting MS Office and a few a CCNA certified.]
posted by Loser at 11:24 AM on December 13, 2004

Exactly how much hair is in the mouse? There's not that much empty space, I would I think. You've removed it to the point where you can get the ball out?

Oh, the ball comes out, the two rollers are completely clean, the inside of the mouse LOOKS clean, but it still freaks out, so I'm thinking that there is more crap in it that I can't reach without taking it apart.

The cat belongs to the roommate, and he's feisty already, I think that he would be somewhat opposed to being shaved.

There's probably a serial number etc. label on the bottom of the mouse which covers the screw. If you poke around that, probably near the center, with a small phillips head screwdriver, you will probably find the screw.

I took the whole label off, and there's no screw. Strange?
posted by heatherann at 11:27 AM on December 13, 2004

I know this doesn't really answer the question, but switching from a mechanical to an optical mouse changed my life. You'll thank us.

With respect to disassembling and cleaning your current mouse, they pretty hardy little gadgets. If for whatever reason you can't remove the ball cover and clean it and the axis controls, you could probably pry it apart with a screwdriver, clean it, and duct tape it back together. That's what worked for me when I was stuck back in 1996.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 11:28 AM on December 13, 2004

(Microsoft IntelliMouse 1.3A PS/2 OEM)
posted by heatherann at 11:29 AM on December 13, 2004

Well, if there's no screws than it probably snaps together and attempting to snap it apart will snap the snaps right off.

Optimus Chyme isn't kidding. Optical mice rule. Remember the first time you switched from a 28.8 modem to cable? It's like that, except it doesn't bring the porn any faster.
posted by bondcliff at 11:38 AM on December 13, 2004

Go optical. I have cats and endured your hair-in-the-mouse problem (though not quite so bad- whole hairballs? eww) for years until I went optical.

The main problem I encountered with the "take it apart" suggestions is that every mouse I took apart never worked as well when I put it back together.
posted by mkultra at 11:39 AM on December 13, 2004

Ball removal procedures differ depending upon manufacturer of the mouse.
posted by Specklet at 11:57 AM on December 13, 2004

I have to agree. This is an entertaining thread (how much hair? your mouse needs a colonic!), but optical mice are so, SO much better. I could not use the old kind again for more than a few minutes. I would become violent with rage.
posted by ParisParamus at 12:10 PM on December 13, 2004

You might also try a few blasts of compressed air. Of course, a can of air will set you back almost as much as a new mouse these days.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 12:22 PM on December 13, 2004

Seriously dude how much do you make an hour? More than 6 bucks? And how many hours have you spent on this?
posted by glenwood at 2:07 PM on December 13, 2004

You can give that ball from your old ball-mouse to your cat, who will love it briefly then either grow bored or lose it under the furniture.

Though a humorous idea, Shane's remark shouldn't be taken too literally. Analog mice balls are (roughly) proportionate to an olive, a grape, or even an actual mouse's head. Kitty could choke on it during playtime.

A sphere from a trackball controller, however, would be okay.
posted by Smart Dalek at 2:07 PM on December 13, 2004

Seriously dude how much do you make an hour? More than 6 bucks? And how many hours have you spent on this?

I'm a student, I make debt. I said in my [mi] post that I am going to get an optical mouse. The odds are high that Santa will take care of that for me. That wasn't my question though.
posted by heatherann at 2:13 PM on December 13, 2004

Yes I know it's not a direct answer to your question, but it seems counterintuitive to recommend that you go out to the hardware store and buy 8 dollars worth of compressed air and WD40 and spend 2 hours trying to make it work right when our disposable so-ciety can provide to you a shiney new mouse for less.
posted by glenwood at 2:25 PM on December 13, 2004

$14.99, but free after rebate.
posted by quasistoic at 2:43 PM on December 13, 2004

You should probably also consider that maybe the mouse is just broken. Maybe the rollers just aren't working right anymore, regardless of the amount of hair inside. Seriously, go buy an optical.
posted by swank6 at 11:55 PM on December 13, 2004