How to Clean Gaming Mousepads
Gamers have an attachment to their gear. From custom-made PC builds, down to what kind of colour their headphones are going to be, they are very hands-on in every aspect of their lifestyle. Yet sometimes, gamers tend to overlook one of the most crucial gears: the mousepad. The part playing surface, part catcher of all the water, energy drinks, and junk food eventually gets soiled with all the elements converging on it. Many slide out their mousepads then give them a vigorous shake before calling it a day. But considering everything that is going on in the outside world, it is high time for gamers (myself included!) to do a cleaning session to get rid of all the germs hiding deep within our mousepads and keep the playing space safe and sanitary.
Determine the Material of Your Mousepad
Mousepads are generally made of rubber, making it relatively easy to clean. However, some newly released models have these newfangled implements on them such as RGB lights. For this article’s purposes, we will be focusing on the traditional fully rubberized ones as they are more common and can be cleaned inside out. However, for those with mechanized mousepads, it is better to read user manuals included along the packaging to be sure of what to do with it.
The Manual Method
Fill a basin with hot water then mix in with either dish or hand soap (or basically any soap that is very, very gentle). Make sure that nice lather forms before carefully submerging the mousepad and allowing it to sit for a little while to let the soap work its way through the grease, dust and dirt.
When you are already satisfied that the soap had already gone to town with all the dirt embedded in the mousepad, get a sponge (or just your hands) and carefully rub the surface to extract all the soap that had been absorbed. Rinse and repeat until the water runs relatively clear. Pat it to get rid of excess water then hang it to air dry. Do not put it out on the sun as excessive heat may deform the rubber. And more importantly: use it 24-48 hours AFTER drying to ensure that it will not give off nasty smells while sitting on your desk.
The Lazy, Dunk It In the Washing Machine Method
If you are too busy to do the manual method though, you can use your washer to clean your mousepad. This time though, use cold water and engage your machine at low speed. Also, use a gentle soap to clean the mousepad without damaging the material. Same as before, do air dry the mousepad to keep it from deforming, at the same time preventing possible nasty smells from building up.
From One Gamer to Another, An Advise…
It pays to do this. You may think that cleaning out your mousepad doesn’t have to be this elaborate, but it has to be. Just because you do your gaming inside the safety of your home, it doesn’t mean that the bacteria buildup cannot harm you and your companions at home. It also helps if you save user manuals and guides of even the most basic gear as it will help you do what is best to make your stuff last longer.
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