Does your cursor not go where you want as you move your mouse, does it wiggle and move in jerks or starts? It could be lint or other dirt is clogging the rollers inside your mouse. This section will show you how to clean your mouse in just a few easy steps. Even if your mouse is working correctly, cleaning your mouse once in a while is still a good idea. *Note: close all open programs, like e-mail applications, before you start cleaning your mouse.

Turn the mouse over and look at the cover that holds a rubber ball in place. You should see arrows that show the direction that you can twist or slide the cover to remove it (usually it will be a twist counter-clockwise to open, and a clockwise twist to close it). The easiest way to do this is to slide or twist using using two fingers while holding the mouse firmly in the palm of your hand. Don't worry a mouse is not very fragile. Keep your hand in place over the cover and turn the mouse until the ball and cover fall into your hand (see picture below.

Wipe or blow away any specs of lint or dust that fall out and then inspect the cover and ball. Make sure both are clean and then set them down. Use the cover as a stand so the ball can't roll away (see image below). Very important, don't lose or damage the rubber ball! Now look inside of the mouse and notice that there are three rollers spaced equally apart inside (although some may have two rollers and a wheel inside, proceed in the same way).

Use your fingernail to remove the lint build-up on the center of each roller. You can see some bumpy detritus in the picture to the left-hand corner. When this builds up, it prevents the rollers from turning smoothly and the mouse from working correctly. Scrape in a side-to-side motion across the build-up while slowly turning the roller until all lint is removed. Repeat for all rollers (or the single wheel). Two of the rollers are held in place solidly while the third pushes back on a spring. This will be the hardest one to scrape, but it will come clean with persistence. * Note- use care, don't use a letter opener or other foreign object to clean the rollers or you may damage them.

Now all you need to do is put the mouse back together. Shake out or gently blow inside the opening to get rid of any loose lint clumps that may have fallen inside. Wipe off any lint from the ball and put it back in place. Then just return the plastic cover and twist or slide it in the opposite direction to close it again. The last thing to do is make sure to clean up the area of all of the dust and debris that has fallen out, especially on your mouse pad or it will wind up back in your mouse. You should give your mouse pad a good shake away from your desk to make sure it is clean and dust-free as well. Now your nice, clean mouse should point and click where you want it to! If you still have problems with your mouse and the cursor moving where it's supposed to you may need a new one. They are a fairly cheap item and can be picked up at any office or computer supply store. If you use a mouse often for work or play it may be worthwhile to pick up a more expensive, but ergonomic mouse that helps relieve issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

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