How to Clean Your Mouse Roller

It takes only two minutes to clean a computer mouse and get it back into perfect working condition. Try this method if your mouse ball becomes gummy, or darker than its original color.
Steps:
1. Remove the plate that retains the ball. Just twist it in the direction of the arrow.
2. Remove the mouse ball.
3. Keep it dust-free. The enemy of the mouse is dust. Over time, dust and lint spin into fairly solid strings that eventually gum up the mouse motion. Some mice use more spring-loading ticks than others to keep the rollers in contact with the ball, so keep an eye to see if any springs are popping out. In most cases, mice are built to be very rugged and there's nothing to hurt during a cleaning. The cup shape in the center is just to help position the ball in the mouse.
4. Notice the buildup of dirt on the little wheels and roller you see inside. This buildup should be removed. Usually a paperclip will do, but if it's really dirty you can use a knife. Or, you can moisten the tip of a Q-tip (cotton swab) with rubbing alcohol to clean off the dirt. Use tweezers to remove any strands of hair near the wheel rollers.
5. Cleaning the mouse ball is not essential, but if it has developed a hard shiny coating, cleaning it will improve its traction. Wash the ball (not the mouse!) with soap and water to remove the coating. Ensure that the ball is completely dry before continuing.
6. Return the mouse ball to the socket. Put the plate back on and twist to lock it. Ensure that the plate is seated properly and fully locked in place - otherwise, the mouse will not operate properly.
Tips:
1. A mouse with a neglected cleaning schedule will often build-up a line of debris along each of the wheel rollers. This is actually easier to remove than smaller amounts of debris. Use a knife or paperclip to loosen the line, then use tweezers to remove it.
2. If your mouse still doesn't function properly, at least you know it's not because it's dirty.
3. Optical mice don't have track balls that get clogged up easily. Try to upgrade to one of these if you can; they are relatively inexpensive.
4. Clean your mousepad at the same time.
Warnings:
1. Don't try to wash the mouse with water.