Mighty Mouse Scroll Wheel

Gandalph · Sep 9, 2009

As the title suggests, the mighty mouse (or whatever it's name is) that came with my iMac has been acting up for the past two Months. The scroll wheel sometimes will not scroll up but will scroll down OK. Other times it's the total opposite way, it scrolls up but not down.

At first this was just one of those intermittent problems but now I find it is happening on a more regular basis. When this does happen I turn the mouse upside down and give it a light shake, all is well for about twenty to thirty minutes then the whole thing starts again.

Is this a common problem with these mice, if so, is there a fix. (Such as a regular supply of cheese :Smirk:

True Bassist · Sep 9, 2009

One of the most common problems with Apple's Mighty Mouse (I have the wireless version and experience the same issue) is that the scroll wheel can get clogged up with muck and dirt quite easily. There are lots of guides to taking the mouse apart online to clean it which I wouldn't recommend unless you are prepared to buy yourself a new one when you break it (!!)

If you get a cotton bud, put a drop of water on the end of it and run it over the scroll wheel, rolling it as you do you should be able to remove lots of the dirt and muck. Unfortunately there will be some stuck on the inside but unless you want to take it apart, it's unlikely you will ever get it out.

Hope this helps!

Gandalph · Sep 9, 2009

True Bassist said:
One of the most common problems with Apple's Mighty Mouse (I have the wireless version and experience the same issue) is that the scroll wheel can get clogged up with muck and dirt quite easily. There are lots of guides to taking the mouse apart online to clean it which I wouldn't recommend unless you are prepared to buy yourself a new one when you break it (!!)

If you get a cotton bud, put a drop of water on the end of it and run it over the scroll wheel, rolling it as you do you should be able to remove lots of the dirt and muck. Unfortunately there will be some stuck on the inside but unless you want to take it apart, it's unlikely you will ever get it out.

Hope this helps!

Thank you True Bassist, I thought that would be the case. Similar problems with other mice over the years with Windows machines.

Many thanks for your reply. I will have a look at the strip-down procedure. I have two other USB mice standing by if anything goes wrong.

Cheers.

GK27V6 · Sep 9, 2009

I have a much better solution

I have the wireless mouse, and what I've been told to do is get out something like a clean piece of paper, and hold the mouse upside-down, where the scroll ball touches the paper, and whirl it around in a figure-8 motion. All the dirt should fall out.

MacInWin · Sep 9, 2009

I also use a blast of air from one of those cans of air to blow out the dust/debris. Holding the mouse upside down when blasting it with the air seems to be the best way to get it out every time.

Gandalph · Sep 9, 2009

Thanks for that GK27V6, I'll give that a try also.

Cheers.

Gandalph · Sep 9, 2009

Thanks jakerich, I haven't got any Air at the moment but I know the stuff you mean, I've used it before.

Many Thanks.

frankmezz · Sep 9, 2009

i bought a new one :'(

too bad the trash man already came by.

Leukeh · Sep 9, 2009

I got so sick of my Mighty Mouse acting up like that. Having to clean it every day was just ridiculous but didn't want to give up the 360º scroll, so I did some research and bought one of these:

Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse - battery lasts ages and is scrolls by looking at your finger! Fantastic. Best mouse I've ever used.

Collin Bl · Sep 9, 2009

The other method i have used a few of times before resorting to this is to hold upside down with finger between vacuum nozzle and scroll ball to suck loose debris out.

Mattlike · Sep 10, 2009

GK27V6 said:
I have a much better solution

I have the wireless mouse, and what I've been told to do is get out something like a clean piece of paper, and hold the mouse upside-down, where the scroll ball touches the paper, and whirl it around in a figure-8 motion. All the dirt should fall out.

I have found this to be the best method and has worked marvelously for me. I use a clean sheet of printer paper and it works great!

dmccloud · Sep 10, 2009

Something I noticed when looking at the guide linked to above: the trackball assembly itself (trackball and gears) is the same trackball assembly used in many Blackberries. I know that you can purchase those online, so it might be possible to replace/customize the trackball on the Mighty Mouse itself.

ylshin · Sep 10, 2009

I had a wired mighty mouse which displayed the same symptoms in the past. There was a piece of advice somewhere in this forum to invert the mouse and rub (moving) the ball on something hard (like a pile of papers) vigourously for several seconds to dislodge the clog. I found this advice worked. Try it.

a1laserboy · Sep 11, 2009

The paper trick just worked a treat for me

Thanks GK27V6.

I'd been using the isopropyl alcohol (rubbing spirit?) on a rag/cotton bud method that never worked very well and had given up on ever having a reliable way to clean the scroll ball on my 3 year old MM.

I'd forgotten how much more control you have

It'll be interesting to see how long it works, but this way is much quicker and

Daniel4 · Jan 15, 2010

Thanks for the solutions here, I had the same problem.

Mighty Mouse Scroll Wheel

Gandalph

True Bassist

Gandalph

GK27V6

MacInWin

Guest

Gandalph

Gandalph

frankmezz

Leukeh

Collin Bl

Mattlike

dmccloud

ylshin

a1laserboy

Daniel4

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