Don't spray Scotchgard on your mousepad.

Yes — it will mess up the glide and could confuse your mouse sensor.

Cloth mousepads rely on a consistent, even weave for predictable friction and sensor tracking. Fabric protector sprays add a thin polymer coating that changes how your mouse skates across the surface. You’ll likely feel more drag or a sticky spot, not the smooth glide you had.

Worse: the spray can leave uneven dried patches. Laser and optical sensors read the surface texture microscopically. Uneven coating can cause cursor jitter, skipping, or acceleration weirdness. Some sensors will straight-up lose tracking on a treated pad.

If you’re worried about spills, get a hard pad or wash your cloth pad gently by hand. Scotchgard is for upholstery, not for high-precision input.

Your mouse works better on a clean rug than a treated pad.