3 Ways to Clean a Headphone Jack

If dust and lint have built up in your device’s headphone jack, you may be able to clean it out with a puff of compressed air. Aim the nozzle of the compressed air can at the jack and press the button on top of the can to let out 1 or 2 blasts of air. For more stubborn debris, try taking a cotton swab and removing most of the cotton from the tip, until it is small enough to fit inside the opening of the jack. Gently brush the opening of the jack with the swab to loosen the dirt inside. If it’s really caked on, dampen the swab in rubbing alcohol and try again. Remove any excess moisture by wiping the jack again with a clean, dry swab. Another option is to unfold a paperclip and wrap a piece of tape around one end with the sticky side out. Gently insert the taped end of the paperclip into the jack and turn it a few times. Lint, dust, and dirt inside the jack should stick to the tape when you pull it out. To learn how to use compressed air or a taped paper clip to clean your headphone jack, scroll down!