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Cleaning Your Mice Wheels?
frink_exp asks: "Cleaning mouse balls (and the rollers they contact) has been the source of many a pun and the subject of countless junk e-mail messages. As more optical mice replace their mechanical kin, such hygiene is becoming unnecessary. However, the mouse wheel is nearly as common as the mouse itself and human hands are grubby, sweaty, oily appendages. Invariably, a nice coating of gunk envelops the wheel. Sometimes it's just unsightly, but at it's worst, it'll sap the rubber wheel of all its grip making it difficult to scroll. Cleaning the wheel can be awkward as it tends to spin and unlike mouse balls, it doesn't just pop out (rehashing of the balls joke intended). The best method I've found is scraping sideways, parallel to the wheel's axis of rotation, slowly working my way around the whole wheel. This is tedious and annoying. Is this a common affliction? What is a better, easier way to clean the mouse wheel? Solvents? A wheel brush? Fire?"
No, it is not a comnon problem. You are just a very very dirty man. Please do not "ask slashdot" about your hygiene problems again.
Is this a common affliction?
:-D
Go wash your hands immediately, you naughty naughty boy. *smack* How many times must I tell you not to handle your balls with dirty hands?
Um, yea. Same goes for the scroll wheel, too.
(Spudley Strikes Again!)
The mouse I have is a fluffy hamster type I got from the pet store. Its cage does tend to stink once in a while but a monthly cleaning fixes it. I also let it exercise in the plastic ball all over the house once a day at least.
Make sure you feed it diversely and allow it a good level of exercise and it will retain a good coat and healthy other-body-parts. I'm really not sure of other suggestions here of popping the ball out and scrubbing with knives. I could never suggest that.
"Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
You stumbled on the solution yourself with your last suggested cure: fire. Simply dunk the mouse in cleaning fluid and ignite. The heat thins the hand-oils and forces them to the surface, where they burn off.
Make sure you do it outdoors, though. You'd hate for the nitrogen fire containment system to go off.
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ESD Product service support subject: New Retain tip
Abstract: Mouse balls now available as FRU (Field Replaceable Unit)
Text:
Mouse balls are now available as a FRU. If a mouse fails to operate, or should perform erratically, it may be in need of ball replacement. Because of the delicate nature of this procedure, replacement of mouse balls should be attempted by trained personnel only.
Before ordering, determine type of mouse balls required by examining the underside of each mouse. Domestic balls will be larger and harder than foreign balls. Ball removal procedures differ, depending upon manufacturer of the mouse. Foreign balls can be replaced using the pop-off method, and domestic balls replaced using the twist-off method. Mouse balls are not usually static sensitive, however, excessive handling can resutlt in sudden discharge. Upon completion of ball replacement, the mouse may be used immediately.
It is recommended that each servicer have a pair of balls for maintaining optimum customer satisfaction, and that any customer missing his balls should suspect local personnel of removing thes necessary functional items
(Copy typed from the rec.hummor.funny archive. Typos are mine, the origonal posting was in all caps, which does not pas the Lameness filter)
Just put it in the dishwasher with your dishes, wash, allow to dry.
"Would it kill you to put down the toilet seat?" -- Maya Angelou
Stick with smoking crack. No "tarry black gunk" to jam up the mouse wheel, and if the mouse wheel ever gets dirty for some other reason you can disassemble it, clean it, alphabetize the components, rebuild a carbeurator fom an old chevy, and reassemble the in a new "more interesting" fashion in under a minute... while twiching.
Be careful! Bears shouldn't consume large furry dogs.