The Best Ways To Safely Clean Out Your Phone Charging Port On Android Or iPhone
With Apple switching to USB-C with the iPhone 15, we finally have one universal charging cable to unite iPhones and Androids and rid the world of charging problems. That is unless you have a dirty port.
We've all been there. Your smartphone suddenly stops charging, and after the ensuing panic has worn off, you realize your phone isn't broken, but there is some gunk in the charging port. Unfortunately, despite the openings' tiny size, charging ports are practically magnets for dust, lint, dirt, and grime.
Phones can gather dust inside the charging port whenever you put them port-side down in a pocket or bag. It doesn't seem like a big deal at first, and a little debris inside your port won't hurt it. However, if you don't clean it, you're forcing that dust and dirt deeper into the port each time you plug in your charger. Eventually, that buildup can block or damage the connectors, resulting in your phone charging slowly or not charging at all. You shouldn't neglect cleaning out your phone's port routinely, and here are the best ways to do so.
What you don't want to do
Before we get into how to clean your Android or iPhone's charging port, it's important to know what you shouldn't do. The cleaning process is relatively simple, but simple mistakes can quickly worsen a bad situation and potentially cause your phone to stop working.
First, although you can use common household objects and tools to clean your charging port, you don't want to just shove in anything that'll fit inside the USB-C opening. Under no circumstance should you use a metal tool of any kind. The tougher material can easily damage the components inside the port. Also, metal is a great conductor of electricity, so the last thing you want is to cause an electrical short and damage your phone. Despite its helpful shape, you also shouldn't use a toothbrush to clean the port, as the bristles can get stuck.
Now for the big one, which you may have already committed once your phone started having charging issues. Do not blow into the port with your mouth. This may seem like a free and easy solution, but chances are all you'll succeed in doing is getting unwanted moisture into the port, which could do more harm than good. Instead, use our first method to clean your phone's charging port safely.
The compressed air method
Compressed air is your friend when removing dust, dirt, and debris from many pieces of technology as long as you use it correctly. The canisters are cheap and easy to find at most stores, and they quickly blow away loose debris inside your charging port. Some people are hesitant to use compressed air on technology; if that's the case, a bulb syringe will also get the job done. However, you won't have any problems with compressed air if you follow our steps below.
Here's how to clean your phone's charging port using compressed air:
- Turn off your iPhone or Android.
- Spray compressed air into the charging port with the end of the nozzle a little bit away from the port. You want to spray into the port from an angle, not head-on.
- Keep sprays to short bursts, just a few seconds at a time.
- Turn your phone upright so the last of any loose debris falls out.
- Turn your phone back on and test if it has any charging problems.
If you aren't comfortable using compressed air, you can do these same steps with a bulb syringe. It's also important that you always hold the canister upright when spraying air into the port. Holding compressed air upside down while spraying can unintentionally spray water into your charging port.
The toothpick method
The easiest way to clean a dirty charging port is to use a toothpick. While you shouldn't shove metal in the port, a toothpick with a cotton swab is an excellent choice. They're malleable, so they won't break anything, and they don't conduct electricity, so you don't have to worry about that. Poking around inside a charging port is practically "ole reliable" for tech heads; just make sure you're still being gentle with the motions.
Follow these steps to clean your phone's charging port with a toothpick:
- Turn off your iPhone or Android.
- Shine a flashlight into the port to see where the dust is.
- Use a toothpick to gently scrape or pull out any large clumps.
- Get another toothpick and wrap a small piece of cotton around the tip (or use a cotton swab).
- Lightly dampen the cotton with isopropyl alcohol or another tech-friendly cleaner.
- Insert the cotton swab into the port and drag it from left to right.
- Use the flashlight to check if there is any dust left inside.
- Repeat the steps as necessary until all the debris is removed.
- Turn on your phone.
For the best results, combine the two cleaning methods, using compressed air to blow out dust before and after maneuvering the debris with a toothpick. This will also help dry any remaining drops of alcohol or cleaning liquid in the port. Do not use water as a replacement for isopropyl alcohol.