What's the best way to clean crud off the bars & rollers inside

[raccoon]

a mouse? And what's the most effective TOOL to use? It's easy to see all the crud, just the dickens to try to get it off because it's so awkward to get to.

[jayfish]

1. Here's The Best Method I Know Of.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16826105185

Barring that, I use a cotton swap soaked with water or glass cleaner to soak the crud on the rollers. Once the crud is wet it's easier to remove. Once the crud is soaked I use a clean cotton swab to push the crud off of the roller. Push at a slight angle to the roller so that as you snap the crud off, the roller moves to the next encrusted segment. If you think of your time as a monetary value though, I suggest that it would cost you about as much to order a new one that you will never have to clean again.

Jay

EDITED FOR HORRIFIC GRAMMER

[bemildred]

2. Good answer.

At $20 an optical mouse removes the problem permanently and works better too.
I have also sometimes used an Xacto knife point to loosen thick crud on the rollers FWIW.

[alfredo]

3. That's one reason I went with a trackball. It's so easy to remove

the trackball and clean the rollers with a cotton swab. I also wash the track ball every week.

I have a Kensington Expert Mouse Pro. The trackball is the size of a pool ball.

[RoyGBiv]

4. This is the reason ...

This is the very reason I purchased my first optical. I resist change and so was perfectly happy with what I perceived as a solid-state ball mouse...that I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and just got so friggin' fed up with one day I bought a cheapo optical. And, I've never turned back. I now own one of those relatively expensive high-end ones with all the buttons and cool colors and comfy designs.

[raccoon]

5. Thanks for all your responses. nt

[Caoimhe]

6. I always just used a fingernail

whatever works