What to use as a mouse pad? Well, it is not such an easy answer after all. Ever since the computer mouse was invented we got used to place it on a mouse pad for many reasons: the mouse pad helps the mouse stand still and not slip from the desk or table where it is put, covers the desk, thus preventing the reflection of the UV rays from the shiny surface of the desk or table and also provides an appropriate environment for the mouse to work in, that is the pad is made of a special material that does not allow debris to be formed or other small pieces of garbage, food, dust and many other things that can stick to the computer mouse and make its functioning really difficult. But now the computer mouse has come a long way and suffered serious transformations that allow it to work on almost any kind of surface. That is the case with the laser mouse that does not depend on a flat and hard surface to perform its task, but it can work in almost all conditions and potions.

Still, this kind of computer mouse is pretty difficult to purchase due to its high price and only few people afford to use one. So, most people still use optical mice and need mouse pads. Well, it is not always possible to have a mouse pad around (accidents happen and you can destroy the mouse pad in one of these unfortunate events or maybe you have children around and they took your mouse pad and torn it apart - anything is possible ) and then we ask ourselves: what should I use instead of a computer mouse pad?



I am a person with a vivid imagination so I found not only one, but many answers to this question. The only request is that the thing used to replace to computer mouse pad should be hard, a bit thick, because otherwise it may be difficult to use the mouse on. Take a newspaper for example: it's not hard nor thick and if you move the mouse on it a few times the pages stick together and curl and it becomes impossible to use the mouse. If the object is too soft, like a pillow or a kitchen pot mat, the computer mouse will not be able to move freely on it. So try to find something rather similar to a normal mouse pad as shape and consistency.



I tried several things as replacements for a mouse pad and the best solution seemed to be the hard cover of a restaurant menu. It is hard, dark coloured, straight, with no bumps on it; a bit big though, but I can adjust it according to will. I mentioned that it is dark. Yes, it is better to find a thing in dark colours because the computer mouse works better on dark than on light colours. Then it is very important that the surface of our replacement should not be shiny and slippery. This is exactly the reason why it is better to move a mouse across a mouse pad and not directly on the furniture, as it can make the mouse to slip away or even to reflect the rays of the mouse.

My second choice as a replacement for a mouse pad is a book with a hard cover. Of course, all the conditions mentioned above must be respected: the cover should be made of carton, not paper, it should not be shiny and slippery and it is better to have a dark colour. But looking at this photo I realized that there should be an additional condition: do not use a too thick book - it is not comfortable for your wrist and palm and it can cause you a lot of trouble and pain. You know that after some time even the best mouse can cause injuries and pain, not to mention if you are forced to use such a thick book as mouse pad. Be careful if you have a cord computer mouse! It can coil very easily around such things and it can bother you.



In case the book you want to use as a temporary replacement for your torn mouse pad is too thick, like I showed before, there is still an emergency solution: use only the cover of the book. It will not be that thick as to disturb your wrist movements and besides, you can cut it with a pair of scissors in the shape and size that you want. If the cover of the book is too big for example, take the scissors and reshape it as you see fit. Use your imagination and turn it into a flower, a heart or a leaf. You can also stick a sheet of coloured paper around the cover and then be creative and just use your talent to turn it into a real work of art.

Last, but not least the easiest to find and most comfortable replacement for a mouse pad: a nice looking bar mat usually used for putting the drinks on. It is pretty easy to find one and if you just can't find a proper one get into the first bar and take one. They are made of a resistant material, are a bit hard and they do not allow glasses to slip from them, so they are perfect for computer mouses. Not to mention the fact that they have the perfect size for the mouse, especially if you are using a track ball mouse, because this kind of mouse does not need a lot of space.  It might be a problem though, if you are addicted to games and you have a regular mouse, so you need some more space for your computer mouse. In this case the restaurant menu cover would be the perfect choice for you. The bonus of using a bar mat is the fact that they already offer you nice pictures and models and you don't have to worry that you will ruin it, as it is very common and you can find one very quickly.



There, I showed you some of my ideas of what to use as a mouse pad in case you have none at hand and must use your computer. But you all know that no copy can fully replace the original, so make sure your mouse pad is safe and sound and in one piece or always have another one around.