I Finally Cleaned My Filthy Mousepad—It Was Worse Than I Imagined

If you’re a gamer or work from home, your mousepad is probably the dirtiest part of your setup—and you might not even realize it. I know I didn’t, and when I cleaned mine, I was shocked by how much grime came out of a pad I’d only been using for six months.

Your Mousepad Is Dirtier Than You Think

Whether you have a mousepad that’s only for your mouse, or an XXL mousepad like mine that covers half your desk, your mousepad is a breeding ground for bacteria.

Everyday deposits from your hands, like your skin’s natural oil, sweat, dead skin, and hand cream, in addition to dust and food particles, all end up on your mousepad as you use it. And as you rub your hands against the mousepad when you change hand placement or use the mouse, that buildup gets pushed deep inside the fabric (sorry for the graphic description, but I need to get my point across).

As you continue using your mousepad, dirt and grime build up inside the tightly woven fabric, so it gets dirty shockingly quickly. Even if you thoroughly wash your hands before using your computer (something I strongly recommend doing), your skin still releases sweat, oils, and dead skin cells, so your mousepad will inevitably get dirty.

Before you know it, your mousepad is filled with tiny particles. And on top of being disgusting and unsightly, these particles can actually create enough traction to hurt your mouse’s gliding performance, which isn’t ideal if you’re a hardcore gamer who chases ultralight gaming mice, fast-performance mousepads, and aftermarket mouse skates.

Cleaning My Mousepad Only Took a Couple of Minutes

When I finally decided to wash my cloth mousepad, I was surprised by how quick and effortless the whole process was. It took me maybe 3–4 minutes from start to finish, and it’s definitely something I’m going to do more often going forward.

If you have a hard plastic or glass mousepad, you don’t even need to wash it, at least not the same way as a cloth pad. You can simply wipe it down with glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth. If it’s particularly dirty or sticky, a small amount of mild soap (like hand or dish soap) and a soft sponge or cloth will remove the grime with minimal effort.

For cloth mousepads, take the pad outside or place it in your shower or bathtub. Wet it with lukewarm water. Avoid hot water, as it can damage the rubber base and cloth surface. Cold water isn’t great, either, because it doesn’t clean as effectively. Also, don’t soak it for too long. Don’t soak it for too long; you just want it damp enough to lift the dirt.

If the mousepad is very dirty, apply a small amount of mild soap; otherwise, it’s best to skip the soap whenever possible. The most important step is scrubbing. You can use a sponge or microfiber cloth, but a soft brush does a better job of loosening deep dirt.

Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek

Use the softest brush you can find—I used a painter’s brush, and it left my high-end mousepad’s surface intact. Even a soft-bristle toothbrush can be too harsh, so avoid it if your mousepad is delicate.

Focus scrubbing on the dirtiest areas, which is typically the bottom middle and right section if it’s an XL pad. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap from the woven fabric.

Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek

Air dry the mousepad, but don’t leave it in direct sunlight, as UV radiation can cause the color to fade. Air drying usually takes 4–5 hours, so it’s best to clean it before you plan to use it again or leave it overnight.

While it might be tempting to use rubbing alcohol to disinfect the mousepad, I strongly recommend avoiding it. Alcohol can fade or damage both the cloth and rubber base, and it may strip coatings like hydrophobic or speed finishes.

You Need to Clean Your Mousepad Regularly

I got my SteelSeries QcK XL Performance Speed mousepad around half a year ago, so I honestly thought that it wouldn’t be all that dirty. That’s why I was shocked to see brown, dirty water when I rinsed it.

Brand

SteelSeries

Material

Polycarbonate

The SteelSeries QcK XL Performance Speed is a large, high-performance mousepad optimized for maximum gliding speed. The 3.5 mm-thick neoprene rubber base ensures the mousepad never slides around on your desk, while the low-profile edge stitching protects the mousepad from fraying without digging into your wrists.

I always wash my hands before using my computer, but I do use hand creams frequently, which are quite sticky and have likely accelerated the dirt buildup. Still, using a mousepad for many hours every day will naturally cause this.

If you game a lot or work from your desktop PC, you should probably wash it once a month or at least every other month. Of course, the less you use your mousepad, the less cleaning it requires. If you only play games for a couple of hours every evening, you can probably get away with washing it once every three or four months. For people who only game on weekends, twice a year may be enough.

Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek

How often you clean it is up to you, of course, but I strongly encourage regular maintenance. Your desk is a space you spend many hours at, so keeping it clean is worthwhile.

If you want to reduce the frequency of full washes, consider spot cleaning. Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe it down once a week, focusing on the dirty areas. This removes a good portion of surface dust and grime, prolonging the time between washes while maintaining desk hygiene and glide performance.

Ultimately, cleaning your mousepad only takes a few minutes, and it doesn’t need to be difficult. The payoff is huge: now that my black mousepad is squeaky clean, it no longer has those hideous white spots where I rest my wrists and palms. That’s why I’ll be washing my mousepad on a monthly basis from now on.