How to Clean a Mousepad

As many of us maintain staying home as much as possible in 2020, it's likely that you'll continue to take a second look at parts of your space you wouldn't ordinarily think twice about. For instance, your mouse pad. Since you're likely using your home desk on the daily, perhaps that pad could use a bit of a refresh?

To learn more about how to clean a mouse pad, we spoke with several cleaning experts. Turns out, it's pretty simple — the most you'll have to do is wait for the pad to dry.

"Rubber or plastic mouse pads can easily be wiped with wet wipes or a damp cloth," Sean Parry, a cleaning expert at the house cleaning company Neat Services, tells Hunker. "But cloth or fabric mouse pads require a bit more effort to get rid of all the oil, grease, and dirt your hands transfer on a daily basis."

Parry offers the following instructions, adding that you should not do this for a wired or RGB gaming mousepad (instead, follow the manufacturer's specific cleaning directions).

Submerge your mouse pad in a bathtub, kitchen sink, or large container filled with warm water.

Pour a small amount of mild dish soap onto the mouse pad — a little goes a long way. Natalie Barrett, the service quality supervisor at Nifty Cleaning Services, tells Hunker that a small amount of laundry powder or detergent can also be used in place of dish soap.

Using a brush, scrub the entirety of the mouse pad to remove stains, oil, and debris. Danielle Smith Parker, the founder of Detroit Maid, tells Hunker that a soft bristle brush is preferred.

Rinse the mouse pad thoroughly and make sure to get it as dry as possible before leaving it to dry completely on a towel, cloth side down. At this point, Parker recommends that you also lightly mist the pad with a disinfectant spray.

After a couple of hours, the mouse pad should be dry and ready for use.