Mighty Mouse ball not so mighty

[Mario8672]

This is an issue most of you are probably familiar with. The 360 scroll ball on my mighty mouse has become so lodged with dirt (I'm assuming) making it impossible to scroll down. Scrolling left, right, and up works okay at best. When I scroll in the working directions, it makes a smooth tracking sound (tick-tick-tick-tick), when I scroll down, this sound is absent and is replaced by a "shhh" sound, which is the beginning of the word I'm thinking of when I hear it.

I've tried the "dry cloth" (when has that ever 100% worked) with no avail, then I resorted to using a sewing needle to get around the ball (which caught a very small amount of dirt).

The down-scroll still doesn't work (I mean, it doesn't work AT ALL, it's not functional) and I don't know what to do. I'm sure the mouse can handle more than just regular-consumer workload.

Any way to fix it?

[mfogler]

turn it upsidown and rub it on a piece of paper on a hard surface. Move it in all directions. This has helped me.

[SGilbert]

First, turn upside down and aggressively tap with finger to remove any loose dirt.

Roll it with a lint free cloth dampened (not wet) with rubbing alcohol. Shake & blow dry before using.

[Satcomer]

Mario you know your Mother always told to wash your hands before using the mouse.

Clean it out like the others have said and it should clean out nicely and it should be like almost new again.

[Mario8672]

Mario you know your Mother always told to wash your hands before using the mouse.

Clean it out like the others have said and it should clean out nicely and it should be like almost new again.

Yes, dad

Good news though... mighty mouse is now fully mighty and operational YEAAAH!!

[earthsaver]

For future reference, Apple has a KB article about cleaning a Might Mouse.

[Mario8672]

For future reference, Apple has a KB article about cleaning a Might Mouse.

That article is a joke, I like mfogler's idea. +thanx

[earthsaver]

Actually, Apple's article describes steps that really work and rolling upside down on paper risks scratching the ball out of usability. I've killed a Might Mouse ball that way before.