Let's face it, it's easy for even the most dedicated PC enthusiast to forget about the humble mousepad. A good mousepad is something you usually take for granted, but if you've ever used a mouse without one, you know how horrible it can be. If you have a decent mousepad for your setup, it's important to keep it in good condition so that the mouse can glide across smoothly. Like your keyboard, mouse, and other desk accessories, the mousepad can take quite a good beating. Dust, dead skin cells, crumbs — the list goes on.

A dirty and grimy mousepad can lead to sluggish tracking and hinder your performance in games. Fortunately, cleaning a mousepad is pretty easy. You just need a couple of cleaning supplies and a bit of patience. In this guide, we'll break down the cleaning process for different types of mousepads — from the classic soft fabric variety to the flashy RGB ones. Just grab your cleaning supplies and follow along.

How to clean a soft fabric mousepad

A soft fabric mousepad is the most common type of mousepad out there, and we reckon a lot of you reading this have one on your desk right now. While they are incredibly popular and reliable, they're also a bit harder to clean than their hard-surface counterparts. These fabric mousepads are usually made out of soft-woven cloth, and stains are a bit tougher to deal with because of this.

Of course, you could just toss the mousepad into the laundry machine. A lot of people do this, but just make sure you use a mild detergent with this method. The laundry machine also speeds up the drying process, but beware that heat from the dryer might damage the adhesive for some mousepads.

So, proceed with caution, or just use the sink method mentioned below:

1. Grab your mousepad, go to the sink, and fill it with warm water. You want enough water to submerge the mousepad properly.
2. Next, pour a small amount of dish soap onto your mousepad. Don't go overboard with the soap, or you're going to spend more time rinsing it out. Also, make sure that whatever soap you use is relatively mild and not too harsh.
3. Find a soft brush or a sponge and start rubbing the surface to get rid of any debris, stains, and other nasty gunk. Make your way across the whole surface of the mousepad, even the areas that aren't visibly stained. Remember not to scrub too hard or too long in one specific spot to avoid damaging the surface.
4. Once you're done scrubbing thoroughly, rinse the mousepad to get rid of the excess soap. After that, grab a towel and put the mousepad cloth side down on it to let it air dry. It's best to let it dry overnight, but you could use a hairdryer to speed things up.
5. Repeat this process whenever your mousepad gets dirty again.

How to clean a hard-surface mousepad

There are certain peripherals that make you a better gamer, and some might argue that a mousepad with a hard surface is one of them. Compared to cloth or fabric mousepads, hard-surface mousepads have lower friction because of their rigid surface. This allows for consistent tracking and faster, more fluid mouse movements. However, they can be a bit uncomfortable for some people and tend to degrade mouse feet faster. On the bright side, they're much easier to clean.

1. Grab a microfiber cloth and slightly dampen it with warm water or a bit of rubbing alcohol.
2. Gently wipe and scrub the surface of the mousepad with the microfiber cloth. Scrub gently, but hard enough to get all the gunk off.
3. Use a different dry cloth to wipe the mousepad and get rid of any excess moisture.
4. Let the mousepad sit and air dry for a bit, and you're done

Alternatively, you could also use a disinfectant wipe if you're worried about germs.

What about RGB mousepads?

If you have a fancy RGB mousepad, cleaning it can be trickier as you don't want to damage the electronics box from where the wire exits the mousepad. Whether you have a hard surface or fabric RGB mousepad, you should never submerge it underwater. That's a surefire way to instantly kill the mousepad's RGB lighting. Here's the correct way to clean an RGB mousepad.

1. Unplug the RGB mousepad from your computer before you start cleaning.
2. Grab a microfiber cloth and dampen it with some warm water or isopropyl alcohol.
3. Start scrubbing the stains or dirty areas of the mousepad while avoiding the edges and the electronics box.
4. For stubborn stains, mix a tiny amount of mild dish soap with warm water and use it to dampen one corner of your cleaning cloth. Gently dab the stained area with the cloth while avoiding the RGB area and the edges.
5. Next, grab a dry cloth and thoroughly wipe the mousepad to get rid of excess moisture.
6. Let the mousepad air dry in an area away from direct sunlight.

Don't throw out your old mousepad just yet

A good mousepad can last you a long while, and just because yours has gotten dirty doesn't mean you need to throw it away. Give it a good cleaning attempt first to see if you can get more use out of it. You'd be surprised at what a small amount of dish soap or rubbing alcohol is capable of. Of course, if the mousepad is heavily worn out and unsalvageable, then you're due for an upgrade.