How to clean your mousepad

After several months or years, your mousepad can become pretty dirty if you don’t clean it regularly. There’s a pretty simple way to clean your mousepad, and the steps vary depending on whether you have a normal mousepad or one with RGB. Let’s review how to clean a mousepad.

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How to clean your mousepad

Cleaning your mousepad is simpler than you might think. You can throw it in your washing machine; however, it can get deformed and the rubber side may become damaged. The safest way to clean your mousepad is by hand under warm water.

You will need mild dish soap, warm to hot water, a cleaning brush or toothbrush, and a full-sized towel.

1. Fill up a sink or tub with hot or warm water.
2. Take your dirty mousepad and submerge it under that warm water.
3. With your mousepad wet, take your dish soap and apply a generous amount of it on the surface of your mousepad.
4. Use a cleaning brush — or a toothbrush if you don’t have one around — to scrub the entire surface of the mousepad. Make sure to work the dish soap into the mousepad well to combat existing stains, oil, and debris.
5. When you’re satisfied with the cleanliness of the mousepad, it’s time for it to dry. Take a full-sized towel and place it somewhere out of the way. Place your damp mousepad face-down (cloth side down) on the towel.
6. Wait for the mousepad to dry, then put it back on your desk. This should take 2 to 5 hours.

Normally, people would hang their mousepad to dry. However, the best way to keep its shape is to let it dry flat, face-down on a towel.

How to clean an RGB mousepad

Cleaning your RGB mousepad is a little bit more complex than cleaning a prototypical mousepad. This is because electronics are built into the mousepad that allow it to glow around the edges.

You will need mild dish soap, warm to hot water, a microfiber cloth.

1. Unplug your dirty RGB mousepad and take it to an area without too many other electronics.
2. Run your microfiber cloth under warm to hot water, then add dish soap. Wring it out before taking it over to your mousepad.
3. Use the microfiber cloth (wet with warm water and plenty of dish soap) to wipe down the cloth surface of your RGB mousepad. Avoid the edges and the box where the wire exits the mousepad.
4. Once the RGB mousepad is damp and soapy, rinse your microfiber cloth under warm water. Wring out the microfiber cloth, then use it to wipe the remaining dish soap from your RGB mousepad. Repeat this step as necessary.
5. When you’re satisfied with the cleanliness of the mousepad, it’s time for it to dry. Place your damp mousepad right side up somewhere it can dry. This should take 2 to 5 hours.

Read more: How to clean your computer screen

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