TLC Tips of the Week:                          from Helen Olberg

                        This week’s tip applies to mouse users.

Does your mouse perform OK? Does it sometimes jump around the screen or not move at all, making it hard to control? Maybe it’s dirty!

Turn your mouse over and look at it. Does it have a rubber ball in the bottom? If so, it is a mechanical mouse. You MUST keep the ball and parts within the mouse free of dirt and lint. If it is an optical mouse, you’ll see a light on the bottom or end of the mouse. This mouse may also need to be cleaned.

Mechanical mouse:

A panel on the bottom of the mouse will twist off to release the mouse ball. After you remove the panel and the mouse ball, inside the mouse you’ll find two or three rollers (the number and design depending on the brand and model). You need to clean the rubber ball, the rollers, and any other dirty parts within the mouse.

To clean the ball, wipe it off and use a plain pencil eraser to remove built-up dirt. Inside the mouse, look for any noticeable foreign particles. Remove any you see. After you clean the ball and put the mouse back together, test it to see if you’ve solved the problem. If not, possibly something is damaged inside the mouse, in which case it’s time to buy a new mouse.

Optical mouse:

Returning this mouse to full accuracy is usually as simple as cleaning it. You can wipe the dust and debris away from the optical lenses on its underside.
Occasionally, the erratic behavior of an optical mouse is because of the surface under the mouse. The optical mouse determines movement by comparing differences in the surface below. A solid color below won’t work. You’ll need to use it on a surface that has texture or color differences.

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