A can of compressed air. A plastic dental pick, if there’s anything sticky or too hard to remove with compressed air. A wooden toothpick is too thick unless you can shave it down to a size that will fit into the port. A small amount of cotton and rubbing alcohol, for tougher jobs. 70% isopropyl alcohol or more is fine. Instead of alcohol, you could also use a quick-drying electronics cleaner made specifically for cleaning ports, sensors, and other electronics.
Most cans of compressed air come with a straw-like nozzle attachment that you can affix onto the nozzle—this piece allows you to spray concentrated bursts right into the port. If possible, hold the device upright so that the charging port faces downward, and then spray upward into the port. This allows excess debris to fall from the port to your working surface.
Be firm, but not rough—you don’t want to loosen the port. Don’t blow into the port with your mouth to loosen the gunk you remove with the dental pick—this could introduce excess moisture into the port and damage the internal components. Instead, hold the device with the port facing down and blow it free with compressed air.
Don’t get the cotton too wet with alcohol—just enough to dampen it. Be careful not to get rubbing alcohol anywhere else on your device, as it can ruin certain oleophobic screen coatings, as well as the rubber seals inside of waterproof phones and tablets. [1] X Research source You can put low-intensity rubbing alcohol on a q-tip. Then gently wipe the area with it.
Cover the port with a small strip of adhesive tape when you’re not using it. This may leave a little residue on the port over time, but you can easily clean it off with isopropyl alcohol and cotton. Use a case that covers the port when you’re not using the device. Most phone and tablet cases leave USB-C charging ports exposed for ease of use, but you can opt for one that doesn’t. Purchase a USB-C dust plug—a small plastic or silicone plug that fits inside of your port when you’re not using it. These small pieces are easy to find at electronics stores and other retailers.
