Computers, Laptops & Tablets Apple How to Keep Your Mac Keyboard and Mouse Clean Banish keyboard and mouse grime by Tom Nelson Writer Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. our editorial process Facebook Twitter Tom Nelson Updated on June 09, 2020 The Ultimate Guide to Keyboards The Ultimate Guide to Keyboards Introduction Keyboard Basics Common Keyboard Symbols How to Copy & Paste With Your Keyboard Typing Grave Accents on Any Keyboard How to Change Keyboard Language How to Use a Windows Keyboard With a Mac All About Mechanical Keyboards Keyboard Maintenance How to Clean a Computer Keyboard Keeping Your Mac Keyboard & Mouse Clean How to Clean a Mac Keyboard How to Clean a MacBook Keyboard How to Fix a Broken Keyboard Best Keyboards The Best Computer Keyboards The Best Mac Keyboards The Best Gaming Keyboards The Best Bluetooth Keyboards for Smartphones The Best Bluetooth Tablet Keyboards The Best Ergonomic Keyboards The Best Mechanical Keyboards The Best Wireless Keyboards The Best Keyboard Wrist Rests Tweet Share Email The day you unpacked and started working with your new Mac marked the day your Mac's keyboard and mouse or trackpad were working at their best. From that day forward, little bits of grime, dust, and dirt have been building up on these often-used peripherals. The buildup of gunk slowly causes your mouse to feel less responsive and may even cause your keyboard to miss a key click or two now and then. It's relatively easy to restore a keyboard and mouse to like-new condition. All that's needed is a bit of cleaning and attention. franckreporter / Getty Images These instructions apply to mice, trackpads, and keyboards used with Apple computers. Cleaning Supplies Start by turning off your Mac and unplugging the mouse, trackpad, and keyboard if they are wired peripherals. If your keyboard, mouse, or trackpad is battery powered, remove the batteries. Have the following items on hand: Microfiber clothCan of pressurized air with nozzle strawClean water. It doesn't need to be purified or distilled.Cotton swabs or similar cleaning productsToothpicks or similar items Cleaning Your Mac's Mouse No matter what type of mouse you use, the body is cleaned in a similar manner to remove any oils, such as fingerprints. Wipe the mouse body with the microfiber cloth. For stubborn spots, dip the cloth in clean water and rub the mouse gently. Apply pressure to scrub dirty spots on the mouse. Just don't apply pressure near any scroll wheel, cover, or tracking system. Don't apply water directly to the mouse because it may drip into the mouse's inner workings where sensitive electronics reside. Some mouse types require additional attention. Mighty Mouse If you use an Apple Mighty Mouse, the scroll ball also needs to be cleaned. Slightly dampen the microfiber cloth and roll the scroll ball against the cloth. You can also use a cotton swab to clean the scroll ball. When the scroll ball is clean, use the can of pressurized air to blow out dust and dirt from inside the well where the scroll ball sits. The air also dries the scroll ball after you clean it. Magic Mouse If you have an Apple Magic Mouse, cleaning is vastly simplified. After you clean the touch surface with a wet or dry microfiber cloth, run the microfiber cloth along the two guide rails on the bottom of the Magic Mouse. If your Magic Mouse seems to have tracking errors, that is, the mouse pointer stalls or jumps about, use the can of pressurized air to clean around the tracking sensor on the bottom of the Magic Mouse. Other Mice If you use a third-party mouse, follow the manufacturer's suggested cleaning instructions and clean your mouse. In general, use a microfiber cloth to clean the exterior of the mouse. If the mouse has a scroll wheel, you may find that it routinely becomes clogged with gunk. Use cotton swabs to clean the scroll wheel and the can of pressurized air to clean around the scroll wheel. In the worst cases, you may need to open the mouse to access the optical sensor in the scroll wheel system. Not all mice are opened up easily, and some are difficult to put back together once they are opened. Don't perform mouse surgery unless you already have a replacement mouse available and don't mind looking for that little spring that sailed across the room. Apple Trackpad If you use a trackpad rather than a mouse, you'll find they are even easier to clean: Remove the batteries from a wireless trackpad. If you use a wired trackpad, unplug it. If the trackpad is built-in on your laptop, turn off the laptop and unplug it if it is plugged in. Moisten a clean microfiber cloth with water and use it to clean the flat surface of the trackpad. Dry the trackpad with a dry microfiber cloth. Don't spray any liquid on the trackpad. Cleaning an Apple Wireless or USB Keyboard To clean a Mac keyboard: Unplug the keyboard from your computer or remove the batteries from a wireless keyboard. Clean the keyboard surface using a microfiber cloth. Wrap a toothpick with a single layer of the microfiber cloth to clean between the keys. For stubborn surfaces, dampen the cloth with clean water, but take care not to get moisture in any openings. Never spray liquid on the keyboard. Use the can of pressurized air to blow out any additional debris from around the keys. About Keyboard Spills Keyboards and liquids don't get along. If you spill water or liquid on a keyboard, turn it off or unplug it immediately. Wipe off any visible liquid and flip it upside down to drain on a soft cloth for at least 24 hours before attempting to use it. You may or may not need a new keyboard. If the spill is on a laptop keyboard, turn off the laptop immediately and take the computer to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for repair. The entire computer is at risk. Cleaning a Stuck Key on a Laptop When your MacBook or MacBook Pro keyboard has an unresponsive key or one that sticks when you press it, bring out the compressed air with the straw attached to its nozzle for precision control. Hold the laptop at an angle so that the keyboard is close to vertical. Spray the keyboard (or a single stuck key) with the compressed air in a left-to-right and back zigzag pattern. Rotate the Mac laptop 90 degrees to its right side and spray the keyboard or key with compressed air while moving the air in a zigzag pattern. Rotate the laptop 180 degrees to its left side and repeat the spraying process. This process works on any external keyboard as well. Apple recommends you take your keyboard to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for service if the compressed air doesn't fix the stuck-key problem. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! 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