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How to Clean iPhone Charging Port (Steps with Pictures)

Do you bother to clean your iPhone’s charging port every once in a while? Well, you need to if you haven’t been doing so already.

That would save you from the pain and frustration of having to replace the charging port when your device, for some reason, fails to pick up the charge due to a malfunctioned charging port. But how do you clean the charging port of an iPhone? To answer that question, keep reading.

Clean iPhone charging port

An iPhone’s charging port is the point at which the charger attaches to your device. For the average user, this is a very critical component when it comes to juicing up your iPhone. Keeping it clean and free from dirt and grime accumulation can never be over-emphasized. However, cleaning an iPhone’s charging port requires a little skill and care; the component is as delicate as it is essential. In this post, we will walk you through how to clean an iPhone charging port step by step with no steps skipped. Let’s get started.


 What makes your iPhone charging port dirty?

iPhone charging port dirty

Before we proceed to the procedures of cleaning your iPhone's charging port, let’s first understand what clogs the charging port. Mainly, you do carry your iPhone in your pocket or your bag. Here your device is exposed to all sorts of debris and lint, which gets caught up in the recesses.

Every time you plug in your charger, the dirt gets pushed up into the port, where it builds in a matter of time. After a while, this debris clogs the charging plates blocking a direct connection between the charger plates and the lightning port.


What to use in cleaning your iPhone charging port

cleaning your iPhone charging port

It is recommended to use gentle, nonabrasive, and dry items such as cotton or paper products. Using products like cotton balls, Q-tips, and paper towels to clean dirt in your iPhone’s charging port assures you of not damaging your device's internal components. The use of compressed air sprays is also an effective method to blow all the dust away.

use in cleaning your iPhone charging port

Avoid blowing wet hot air from your mount into the charging port. Wet hot air is unsafe for your device's internal components and the charging port points of contact. Do not use chemicals on cleaning supplies, metal rods, or sharp objects such as pins into your iPhone's charging port. By doing so, you can damage the internal components of the port made of tiny metal lines. If these contacts are damaged, your iPhone won’t charge no matter how well you clean it.


How to clean iPhone charging port

Here are safe procedures for cleaning your iPhone’s charging port in different options:

The use of compressed air:

Step 1: Turn off your iPhone by clicking on Settings, clicking on General, and then clicking on Shutdown.

Step 2: Hold the compressed air can and point it directly to your iPhone’s charging port.

Your iPhone’s charging port

Step 3: Press down the nozzle and spray the air in brief light bursts.

Step 4: Wait for a few seconds after the last air burst.

Step 5: Insert the lightning connector back into the port.

Step 6: Turn on your iPhone to verify if it charges.

Turn on your iPhone to verify if it charges

The use toothpick cotton or paper:

This method is riskier than blowing air into the port. You need not be so aggressive while scrapping out the build-up dirt. Remember that you may damage the sensitive touch points in the charging port. Try to focus on the points where you can see a dirt build-up, scrap it lose and then shake off your device.

Step 1: Turn off your iPhone by clicking on Settings, clicking on General, and then clicking on Shutdown.

Step 2: Take a small toothpick, a roll of paper, or a roll of cotton product into a small tip.

Roll of cotton product into a small tip

Step 3: Insert the tip of your preferred object into the charging port and carefully jiggle it to loosen the dirt build-ups.

Step 4: Blow compressed air into the charging port to remove loosened dirt.

Blow compressed air into the charging port

Step 5: Insert the lightning connector back into the port.

Insert the lightning connector back to the port

Step 6: Turn on your iPhone to verify if it charges.

The above two options will likely get your iPhone back to charging again.


Conclusion

Keeping your iPhone’s charging port clean and free of any form of dirt or grime is the best way always to keep your device in good shape. In this post, you have learned how to clean an iPhone’s charging port along with some other preventive measures you can take to keep your device in good working condition.