11-27-2017, 04:42 PM
Recent discussions about failed cables and SD cards got me thinking about problems we've had with dirt in Mac or iPhone jacks blocking connections.
I recently cleaned out the SD card slot on my MacBook Pro, and now SD cards mount every time, which they were not doing. We've had problems with the Lightning connector jack on iPhones getting clogged with lint.
Here's my method for cleaning out a port/jack:
- Moisten a toothpick (not a colored one!) with rubbing alcohol
- Gently use the toothpick to clean the contacts and around the corners of the port. As it's used the tip of the toothpick tends to mash down into something which looks a bit like a brush. You can use this to get into corners or swab the metal contacts.
- Wipe the toothpick off on a paper towel as you gather gunk, and re-wet with rubbing alcohol as needed.
- Swap to a new toothpick if the one you are using gets particularly dirty.
Lint seems to be a common culprit for blocking connections, especially on iPhones, but other crud can get into the ports.
Also good to clean the contacts on cables. The phone end of a Lightning cable is especially easy to clean with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol. I use the toothpick method with "A" USB connectors and Apple MagSafe cables. On MagSafe cables be particularly careful not to snag and pull on the springs which form the connectors.
A soft toothbrush or other soft brush can also work, and may be the only option for small connectors like mini or micro USB. Toothbrushes work OK for removing lint, and if wet with rubbing alcohol can remove oils. But the bristles on toothbrushes are not absorbent, so they are less good at getting everything off than absorbent materials like a toothpick or soft cloth.
Using rubbing alcohol is important, as it will dissolve any invisible oils which have gotten on the contacts. I've found that this is as important as removing visible lint.
Whatever you use as a tool, be very gentle with any metal contacts. You don't want to bend them or scrape off the gold coating which helps them make good electric contact.
And as for SD cards, the contacts on them can also be cleaned with rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth.
Suggest you NOT use a metal tool like a dental pick, unless it's to get lint out of a corner. A metal tool is likely to scratch the contacts in a jack or cable.
Good luck.
- Winston
ps: You want any tool you use to be moistened with rubbing alcohol, but not dripping wet. As rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly this isn't a huge problem, but it is a pretty good solvent, so you don't want the rubbing alcohol to get places you didn't intend for it to go.
I recently cleaned out the SD card slot on my MacBook Pro, and now SD cards mount every time, which they were not doing. We've had problems with the Lightning connector jack on iPhones getting clogged with lint.
Here's my method for cleaning out a port/jack:
- Moisten a toothpick (not a colored one!) with rubbing alcohol
- Gently use the toothpick to clean the contacts and around the corners of the port. As it's used the tip of the toothpick tends to mash down into something which looks a bit like a brush. You can use this to get into corners or swab the metal contacts.
- Wipe the toothpick off on a paper towel as you gather gunk, and re-wet with rubbing alcohol as needed.
- Swap to a new toothpick if the one you are using gets particularly dirty.
Lint seems to be a common culprit for blocking connections, especially on iPhones, but other crud can get into the ports.
Also good to clean the contacts on cables. The phone end of a Lightning cable is especially easy to clean with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol. I use the toothpick method with "A" USB connectors and Apple MagSafe cables. On MagSafe cables be particularly careful not to snag and pull on the springs which form the connectors.
A soft toothbrush or other soft brush can also work, and may be the only option for small connectors like mini or micro USB. Toothbrushes work OK for removing lint, and if wet with rubbing alcohol can remove oils. But the bristles on toothbrushes are not absorbent, so they are less good at getting everything off than absorbent materials like a toothpick or soft cloth.
Using rubbing alcohol is important, as it will dissolve any invisible oils which have gotten on the contacts. I've found that this is as important as removing visible lint.
Whatever you use as a tool, be very gentle with any metal contacts. You don't want to bend them or scrape off the gold coating which helps them make good electric contact.
And as for SD cards, the contacts on them can also be cleaned with rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth.
Suggest you NOT use a metal tool like a dental pick, unless it's to get lint out of a corner. A metal tool is likely to scratch the contacts in a jack or cable.
Good luck.
- Winston
ps: You want any tool you use to be moistened with rubbing alcohol, but not dripping wet. As rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly this isn't a huge problem, but it is a pretty good solvent, so you don't want the rubbing alcohol to get places you didn't intend for it to go.
