Gentle detergent works fine for cloth mousepads.

Yes, gentle detergent does the same job as specialized pad shampoo. The fabric is just fabric.

Specialized pad shampoos are a mild cleaning solution in a fancy bottle for three times the price. The real risk to your mousepad isn’t the soap—it’s using too much, scrubbing aggressively, or soaking it in hot water. A tiny dab of gentle laundry detergent (like Woolite or even Dawn), cold water, and light hand-wringing is all you need. Rinse thoroughly, press dry with a towel, and let it air dry flat.

The texture and glide will hold up fine as long as you don’t use fabric softener, bleach, or a washing machine on high spin. Treat it like a delicate shirt, not a greasy pan.

Save the $15 for something that actually matters—like a cable bungee.