The Why and How of Cleaning a Logitech G5

[Flitterkill]

Why? It's dirty. On the inside. Unclean even. Compressed air is no help; the scroll wheel is all but dead to the world of scrolling.

 

Naturally, these things do ship with a tiny measure of lubricant applied to some of the interior components. Given enough time and use in a normal food and pet computing environment this will attract and collect trouble eventually. On the Logi G5, the scroll wheel has more than enough space between the wheel itself and the mouse housing to allow the entry of particulate matter. And there you are.

 

My scroll wheel has been really funky for a year now but I just got around to giving it a full reconditioning. That is because I knew the screws to open the mouse up were located underneath the Teflon slide pads on the bottom of the mouse. Granted, they are somewhat worn but I was hesitant to take them off knowing I'd probably lose at least one of them in the process (a true prediction).

 

I could have used this as an excuse to get a new gaming mouse, especially since the G500 has been released (combine the G9x with a G5 housing, and very little gap between scroll wheel and the mouse housing - nice); however, I'd move the G5 to notebook duties anyways and if I'm going to do that, I'd clean it so why not just do it now and see how it shakes out. If all is well, I can delay a new mouse purchase. If less than stellar results, hello notebook duty and hello new G500 for desktop use.

 

Dis-assembly is pretty routine. Remove the two large Teflon pads, and also a white sticker which had model, sn, and other info, and remove the screws. The top housing easily separates. The scroll wheel itself is only held to the circuit board by a single screw, remove that and you are golden - the wheel parts themselves are held together like a simple puzzle and the entirety can be taken apart for cleaning with no worries - just don't lose the bearing.

 

How bad was it? It was awful. For a year or two I'd use compressed air for routine blowouts and a dental pick to reach inside by the scroll wheel and remove accumulated hair and debris. Honestly? After the first six months of ownership it was likely a waste of time. This is the first time this mouse was dis-assembled since purchase back in early 2007 (possibly earlier).

 

View the horror below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, aside from the general hair and debris, some hair (cats) was not only bunched up, but worked its way through one of the shaft protrusions. This did not effect the scrolling itself but was rather astounding to me to see how it worked its way in and through. The big deal is seeing the wheel itself and how all of those slots are cruded up with just tiny small bits of debris.

 

 

 

 

The way scroll wheels work is the same principle as spinners do from the arcade machines of yore (Tempest, etc). Create a wheel of some such, cut multiple slots around the circumference, and use a sensor to detect when light passes though. The clicks you hear are from ridges on the *interior* of the wheel where a single bb ball bearing rides them to make the sound. The meat and potatoes of a scroll wheel are all in those slots and the tiny sensors on either side of the wheel. If those slots are gummed up, your scrolling up and down will register as sporadic at best. For me it was registering about 50% of the time scrolling down, and a sporadic 25% of the time scrolling up (weapon scrolling in FPS games was useless)

 

Took the wheel apart, removed debris, put it back together. No big deal. You can wash the wheel itself in slightly soapy water, the rotating bit with the bearing is separate.

 

 

 

 

The top plastic housing can also be washed in water and allowed to dry - not a bad idea.

 

 

Put it back together, and it's all good - full scrolling function restored.

 

If you end up tearing a Teflon pad, you'll need a replacement. I did tear one and discovered that the pads are actually a combination of Teflon and foam probably to save money on production costs and more than likely why I tore one on removal. You can get replacement pads in the usual places (eBay, gaming shops, etc.) with a single set in the $8 to $10 dollar range.

 

However, the better recommendation is to go with real, entirely Teflon replacement pads from Hyperglide, for $8.50 shipped you not only get pads entirely made of Teflon, you get *two* complete sets. Much better deal all around. Ordered and on the way.

 

Happy mouse is happy now.

 

-Fk

[bushwack]

Gah Flitter wash your hands.

 

This happens to me about every year or so, but I haven't had to take my new(ish) G5 apart since I've started shaving my cats.

 

Hmmm wonder if you could put a mouse in the dishwasher like a keyboard, ha.

[dragonfly]

That's awesome flitter! I just did my gpu today. Maybe my G5 tomorrow?

[anonymo]

Ok...I've seen my fair share of nasty stuff on the internet...but seriously...I gagged at the first pic, that's disgusting. Put a NSFW label on this bad boy, PLEASE.

 

Oh and I second the whole washing the hands thing...shave the cat while you're at it too!

[Unclean]

Why? It's dirty. On the inside. Unclean even.

Don't drag my name through the mud because of your filthy mouse!

 

Seriously though, that's nasty stuff. Kinda makes me want to crack my mouse open to clean it. And the keyboard too - although when Bushwack did it, he just stuck the whole thing in the dishwasher, right? I wouldn't want to do that with my G11.

[JackieChan]

Ok...I've seen my fair share of nasty stuff on the internet...but seriously...I gagged at the first pic, that's disgusting. Put a NSFW label on this bad boy, PLEASE.

 

Oh and I second the whole washing the hands thing...shave the cat while you're at it too!

Remember my computer case from a year or so ago?

[anonymo]

Ok...I've seen my fair share of nasty stuff on the internet...but seriously...I gagged at the first pic, that's disgusting. Put a NSFW label on this bad boy, PLEASE.

 

Oh and I second the whole washing the hands thing...shave the cat while you're at it too!

Remember my computer case from a year or so ago?

 

A year of expensive therapy says I don't

[JackieChan]

Ok...I've seen my fair share of nasty stuff on the internet...but seriously...I gagged at the first pic, that's disgusting. Put a NSFW label on this bad boy, PLEASE.

 

Oh and I second the whole washing the hands thing...shave the cat while you're at it too!

Remember my computer case from a year or so ago?

 

A year of expensive therapy says I don't

Mwhaha, hope it scarred you for life