# Reluctant sticky mouse **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415 "2003-05-30T00:57:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Susma\_Rio\_Sep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@Susma\_Rio\_Sep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susma_Rio_Sep)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/1 "2003-05-30T00:57:24Z")
I just hope the moderators here would still tolerate my liberty in asking so many questions. It’s like I found an inexhaustible cookie jar and have been helping myself. First, I must confess that I really should get a better or new computer and newer software or operating system. But it takes time and trouble and specially money. And I am lazy to go out and look up another computer and software with all the resultant heartaches from having to put it to work right. So, I just keep on and on with my old computer and operating system. Anyway, I still get to send questions to SDMB and contribute my views. So, anyone here, good Samaritans whom the God of kindness will reward you immeasurably as you do benignly to one of His lesser creatures, please how do I get a reluctant mouse moving or make it maneuver smoothly, instead of it often just refuses to budge or behaves like a car that’s stumbling on uncertainly. I use a standard generic serial mouse in com-1. Thanks, and God Bless You All. “And in doing good, let us never tire…” And someone here not so patient will tell me, Susma when are you going to exercise some decency as to not abuse other people’s goodness? Amen. Susma Rio Sep ---
**Author:** ![Susma\_Rio\_Sep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@Susma\_Rio\_Sep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susma_Rio_Sep)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/2 "2003-05-30T01:01:19Z")
Sorry, sorry, profuse apologies. The post is meant for General Questions. No malice intended. How do I move it there? or do I have to copy it there in another thread to be started there? Help, please moderators here and there. I promise to be extra careful from now on. Susma Rio Sep ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/3 "2003-05-30T01:03:23Z")
And the debate here is…? As for the question. It needs cleaning. Take the cover off around the mouse ball. Take trhe ball out. Remove the gunk from the rollers. Replace ball and cover. It should work like new. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/4 "2003-05-30T01:04:35Z")
Do not repost it. That’s verbotten. Email a nice mod and they will move it. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/5 "2003-05-30T14:14:53Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Moving to General Questions. (Unless this pesky mouse sticks, in which case I might accidentally move it to the Pit.) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/6 "2003-05-30T14:34:10Z")
[http://www.radiosoundbytes.com/mouse/](http://www.radiosoundbytes.com/mouse/) This is a handy step-by-step guide, complete with photos. Happy pointing and clicking! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/7 "2003-05-30T14:41:29Z")
[http://www.radiosoundbytes.com/mouse/](http://www.radiosoundbytes.com/mouse/) This is a handy step-by-step guide, complete with photos. Happy pointing and clicking! ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/8 "2003-05-30T14:55:06Z")
You may want to replace your mousepad, too, if it’s starting to pill or look a little grimey. ---
**Author:** ![lilbtagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@lilbtagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilbtagna)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/9 "2003-05-30T15:18:26Z")
What causes mice to get dirty like that? When I didn’t have a ball-less mouse, mine used to get dirty all the time. I thought it was from the mousepad, but I still had problems after I quit using that. Sorry for the minor hijack, but I’ve always wondered. This seems like the best place to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/10 "2003-05-30T15:49:41Z")
Just general bits of dust that land on your desk and get hoovered up by the rubber ball, I imagine. ---
**Author:** ![trabi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@trabi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trabi)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/11 "2003-05-30T15:58:56Z")
If, after cleaning, the mouse still doesn’t work smoothly, take it apart (one of the screws is usually concealed under a sticker) and bend the little optical sensors until they are properly aligned with the plastic wheels (they look like tiny fans) on the ends of the spindles that are turned by the ball. Or alternatively, buy an optical mouse. They’re getting really cheap now, require no maintenance whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/12 "2003-05-30T23:22:25Z")
The gunk that accumulates on your mouse rollers is a combination of dust and bits of your hand (dead skin cells, skin grease, sweat etc), lovely. ---
**Author:** ![milk\_milk\_lemonade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@milk\_milk\_lemonade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milk_milk_lemonade)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/13 "2003-05-30T23:30:59Z")
Sometimes the rollers act on mechanical potentiometers rather than optical rollers (especially on older serial port mice). Take it apart and squirt the carbon track on the potentiometer with a small amount of WD40. ---
**Author:** ![ElectroSunDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@ElectroSunDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElectroSunDog)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/14 "2003-05-30T23:33:04Z")
GET A NEW MOUSE. And a new mousepad. ---
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/15 "2003-05-31T01:19:13Z")
IMHO, follow the advice that the linked site above provides. Then look at your mousepad. Some are plastic covered and smooth, some are cloth covered and rough. If you have a cloth covered one then you WILL get more lint accumulation and hafta clean your mouse more often. But the advantage is that you have MUCH better traction. A smooth plastic mousepad might not give off any lint, but I have found them infuriating when they won’t grab the mouse ball and make it roll. Also, check your mouse software and see if you can increase its “speed” (the distance it travels on the screen per distance moved on the pad). I like mine “fast” so that I can rest the heal of my hand on the desk and reach 90% percent of the screen by just extending my fingers about instead of the “move, pick up, put down, and move again” cycle I’ve seen some people put up with. Happy mousing… ---
**Author:** ![Susma\_Rio\_Sep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@Susma\_Rio\_Sep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susma_Rio_Sep)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reluctant-sticky-mouse/178415/16 "2003-06-01T01:48:31Z")
Thanks all you kind and helpful souls here. God bless you all. Susma Rio Sep