How to Clean Your Headphone Jack Without Damaging Your Phone

Dust and dirt in that tiny port could be causing problems with your phone's sound.

Cleaning the headphone jack on your phone may be literally the terminal thing on your listing of chores, and understandably so. But the reality is, your telephone spends a ton of time tucked away in your pocket or your pocketbook, where things like dirt, dust, and other untold debris can quickly collect. Since information technology's an open port, it's not protected at all, even if your phone is sporting a heavy-duty case. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to make clean your headphone jack using tools you probably already have at home.

How exercise yous know if your headphone jack is dirty? Most of the time you can totally tell just past looking at it. Only a clogged headphone jack tin can crusade lots of sound issues, such equally skipping, static, and dimming of sound. If you're experiencing any of these issues, or if you lot but desire to give your whole telephone a thorough cleaning (it is one of the germiest things y'all ain, after all!), keep reading for our three different headphone jack cleaning methods. And for more phone cleaning tips, cheque out How Experts Say Yous Should Make clean Your Phone to Cease Coronavirus Spread.

How to utilise compressed air to make clean your headphone jack.

Hand holding can of compressed air
Shutterstock

Compressed air in a can—the kind you lot apply to flush grit out of your keyboard—is easily the safest way to remove debris from your headphone jack. The intense pressure in the can blasts air out, removing build upwardly and grit from even the tiniest of spaces. Compressed air is near often sold in estimator, electronics, and role supply stores. For more recommendations that'll make your life easier, check out The 17 Best Cleaning Products for Keeping Your Home as Skilful as New.

Footstep 1: Remove any packaging from the can.

Some cans include a plastic tab to prevent accidental belch of air during transport.

Pace 2: Aim.

Aim the nozzle directly at your headphone jack.

Stride 3: Spray into the jack.

Press the button to blast dirt, grit and lint out of the jack.

How to employ a cotton swap to clean your headphone jack.

Closeup of multicolored cotton swabs.
Shutterstock

The best matter about this method is that it only requires a common household particular: a cotton swab. One small drawback is the small chance that cotton could get stuck in your headphone jack, leaving you lot with a bigger problem than you started with. Follow these steps carefully to clean your headphone jack without that happening.

Step one: Cut the swab.

Using an extremely sharp pair of scissors, carefully snip some cotton wool off each side of the tip at a slight angle. The pinnacle should come up to a bespeak, but again, only very slightly. Too much cut will upshot in the cotton wool becoming loose and possibly unraveled.

Step 2: Wet the swab.

Dampen your newly cutting cotton swab ever and then slightly with water or rubbing booze. It should non be dripping wet, only slightly clammy then as not to ruin the metallic inside the jack.

Step 3: Insert the swab into the jack.

Advisedly insert the cotton swab into the jack and make a round motility to clear away droppings all around the within of the jack.

Footstep iv: Dry the jack.

Remove the swab and repeat with a dry out i to remove whatsoever backlog moisture.

How to use a paper prune to clean your headphone jack.

Straightened out paper clip
Shutterstock

An unfolded newspaper prune happens to be the perfect size for this task. And then if yours seems otherwise beyond repair, try this method. Merely be sure to utilize circumspection—the clip can damage the metallic if yous're too rough. For more than miraculous cleaning advice, bank check out 27 Astonishing Cleaning Tips You'll Wish Y'all Knew Sooner.

Step 1: Unfold your paper clip.

Make sure that it's as direct every bit y'all tin get it.

Footstep ii: Wrap it with tape.

Wrap a slice of record—sticky side out—around the tip of the paper clip.

Step 3: Advisedly make clean out your jack.

Insert the clip into your headphone jack and gently motility information technology in a round motion to remove dirt from all sides of the interior.

Christin Perry

Christin Perry is a freelance writer roofing health, lifestyle, and parenting. Read more