When Was the Last Time You Cleaned Your iPhone's Charging Port?
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Our phones are practically glued to our hands, and amid the hustle and bustle of daily life—not to mention coffee spills, pocket lint, and other debris—our phones get dirty fast. While the external components of a phone are easy to clean with a microfiber cloth, the iPhone's charging port is a whole different story. The inside of an Apple Lightning port—smaller than your finger, a Q-tip, or even the tip of a folded paper towel—is a tough place to clean. That's why we're here to help.
Cleaning your iPhone's charging port shouldn't be such a painful chore. In fact, you can get your phone back in mint condition using household supplies in just a few minutes. Read on to learn how to clean your iPhone's charging port the way Apple recommends.
When to Clean Your iPhone's Charging Port
Even when your iPhone is functioning perfectly, lint and debris (even salt and sand) are probably building up in your phone's charging port. If your iPhone has stopped charging, is charging slowly, or is charging only intermittently, its port probably needs a good clean.
How to Clean Your iPhone's Charging Port
Apple's user manual warns against trying to clean the charging port with anything harder than wood, like any sort of pin or metal rod. There are delicate electronic components inside the port, and ramming them with a sharp metal pin can cause permanently damage.
While this method is specifically for an Apple iPhone, you can use it to clean the charging port of a Google Android, Google Pixel, or any other smartphone.
What You'll Need
Microfiber cloth
Wooden or plastic toothpick
Compressed air
Step One: Loosen Debris
Gently insert the toothpick into the charging port, and scrape the sides to loosen any dirt, dust, lint, or debris. Do not jam or harshly poke at the charging port; that can damage the internal components. Repeat as needed, until you feel as if you've loosened everything.
Step Two: Blow It Out
Using compressed air, blow out the debris you just loosened. Hold the phone over a microfiber cloth with the port facing down and tap it gently to cause any remaining particles to fall out.
Household Items You Can Use to Clean the Charging Port
If you're worried about potential damage from a toothpick's sharp tip, a small paintbrush is a great tool for loosening and removing debris in your iPhone's charging port. It won't remove any stubborn or stuck-on particles the way a toothpick can, but it's great for light maintenance.
How to Get Rid of Water in the Charging Port
The age-old solution of putting your phone in a bag of rice is great for completely water-logged phones, but when the splash is more isolated (think raindrops or dishwater splashes), the drying solution should be smaller too.
First, turn your phone off completely. Hold it with the charging port facing down and gently tap it on a hard surface to remove any excess water, then leave it in a safe, dry place for 24 hours. Apple discourages any quick and fast problem solving, like grabbing a hair dryer or vacuum, since such harsh methods can easily damage the internal electronics.
How Often Should You Clean an iPhone Charging Port?
Even the neatest people can have sneaky dust and lint hiding in the charging port, which can affect your iPhone's performance. We recommend giving your iPhone's charging port a good clean about once a season or every three months.
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