How to Clean Your Laptop Trackpad: Step-by-Step Guide

Trackpad Cleaning Supplies

Lint-free cloth Use a soft, lint-free cloth to clean your trackpad. Avoid paper towels or facial tissues, as they are too rough and leave a lot of lint behind. Use one of the following: Microfiber towel Eyeglass cleaning cloth Disposible lint-free cloths

Cleaner There are a variety of cleaners you can use for your trackpad. If a cleaner is not listed below, don't use it; it's likely too harsh for your laptop and could cause damage. Distilled water: Safest option. Use distilled (or reverse osmosis) water, as tap and filtered water have minerals in them that could cause buildup. Diluted isopropyl alcohol: Somewhat safe. Diluted isopropyl alcohol works well, but it can cause plastic trackpads to break down faster. Electronics & eyeglass cleaner: Somewhat safe. These cleaners are usually alcohol based, so they can cause deterioration. They can also cause some trackpads to not work properly after cleaning them. Glass cleaner: Safe for glass trackpads only. If you use glass cleaner very sparingly on plastic trackpads they will likely be okay, but repeated use is not recommended.

How to Clean a Laptop Trackpad

Determine what material your trackpad is made of. The material your trackpad is made of determines what products are safest for it. Check your laptop's documentation or the manufacturer's website to see what material your trackpad is made of. If you can't find the information or you can't remember what material your trackpad is made of, use the safest/mildest cleaning products listed above.

Unplug your laptop and turn it off. To avoid any potential damage to your laptop, turn it off before cleaning the trackpad.

Apply a small amount of your chosen cleaner to your lint-free cloth. Never spray or pour water or liquids on your laptop. The liquid could seep inside your laptop and cause damage to the internal components. Your cloth should be slightly damp, not dripping wet. If you get too much cleaner on the cloth, squeeze or wring it out until it's damp.

Gently rub the cleaner on your trackpad with the cloth. If you press too hard, residual cleaner in the cloth could pool on your trackpad and lead to damage.

Let the trackpad air dry, or wipe dry with a second lint-free cloth. It shouldn't take more than a few seconds for your trackpad to dry, especially if you are using an alcohol-based cleaner.

Tips for Cleaning Your Trackpad

Clean your trackpad regularly with gentler products. To avoid using harsh products that may damage your trackpad, make sure you clean it more often. Even wiping down your trackpad with a dry cloth after every time you use it will help keep it cleaner in the long run.

Clean up any spills immediately. Lint-free cloths are recommended, but you can use a paper towel to blot up any liquid you spill on your laptop. Avoid using a wiping motion, which may push the liquid around and may lead to more liquid potentially getting inside your laptop. Allow your laptop to dry for 24 to 48 hours before attempting to use it again.

Use isopropyl alcohol for sticky messes. If you have a sticky residue on your trackpad, use a cotton swab and diluted isopropyl alcohol to clean it up. A cotton swab helps target the stickiest areas, and helps keep liquid from getting inside your laptop. After cleaning up the stickiest part of the mess, follow the steps in the section above to clean the entire trackpad.

Shininess on your trackpad doesn't necessarily mean it's dirty. If you've had your laptop for a while, the shininess on your trackpad is likely just wear from you using it. To determine if the shininess is oil or just wear, wash and dry your hands thoroughly, then swipe your finger across the trackpad. If you don't feel any residue on your finger, the shininess is due to wear. The shininess could also be due to wear, but it could still feel oily if the plastic of your laptop trackpad is breaking down. If this is the case you can still clean it like normal, but avoid using alcohol-based cleaners if possible to keep the trackpad from breaking down further.

Some trackpads might not work properly if you use an electronics cleaner on it. Depending on what material your trackpad is made out of, it may not detect your finger if you use a cleaning wipe on it (usually marketed as electronics cleaner or eyeglass cleaner). If you clean your trackpad with one of these products and it stops working, use a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on a lint-free cloth to remove the cleaner residue.

Avoid eating and drinking near your laptop, if possible. If you want to eat or drink when you're using your laptop, avoid touching the laptop until you've finished. If you must use your laptop while you eat or drink, wipe your hands off before you use your trackpad and keyboard.

If there is dirt under your trackpad, don't try to clean it yourself. If dirt somehow got inside your laptop and is under your trackpad, contact your laptop's manufacturer or a computer repair specialist to discuss repair options. Cleaning it yourself could lead to the internal components of your laptop getting damaged, which could lead to it not working.