Taking out the headphone jack is an important and growing trend among smartphones nowadays.
This trend is growing because of a number of reasons. The main reason is that smartphones have to have a sealed body to ensure that there are no water and dust entering the device.
While this is undeniably a very good thing, it also poses a number of problems. The biggest one is that the jack is plugged with a lot of dirt and dust after having been in place for a very long time.
As a result, it can lead to a lot of problems including bad sound quality. When headphones do not fit in your ear you may have to clean your headphone jack.
If you clean it right you may never have that problem again. So, let us discuss how to clean the headphone jack.
Ways to Clean the Headphone Jack
Use Compressed Air
Compressed air will push dirt and grime out of those ports and make them usable again. You can find cans of compressed air at an electronics store such as Radioshack or Best Buy, or you can use canned air used for cleaning computer parts.
Avoid using more drastic methods like a knife, as this can permanently damage your port. Point the nozzle at the headphone jack.
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Get the air dispensing opening right up next to the jack and some bottles will even feature a thin tube that sticks out from the can.
This may be easier for you to use since you can point the tube directly at the jack and focus your air into the small opening.
To release the air, press the button on top of the can to start dispensing air. You should only need a large blast or two to loosen most debris inside of your jack.
It should come out of the hole easily so pay careful attention to it when holding it over a garbage bin or other container.
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Use Cotton Swabs
Buy Q-tips cotton swabs at general stores or other locations where health and beauty products are sold.
Get ones that don’t look too fluffy, because if Q-tips get left behind inside the jack, they may not be able to fit.
Thin tip swabs are also easier to use because they can fit better inside the jack. Make sure the cotton at one end of your swab is torn off as close as possible to its center point.
Your goal is to create a tip that fits comfortably inside the RCA jack and can spin freely for an even sweep.
Be careful not to push too hard or jam it in there because you just might break something if you do!
Gently brush the jack, being aware of any excess force with which you are using; take extra time before pushing any harder than necessary to give yourself time in case it’s needed later.
When the swab has spun around enough, carefully pull it out as most if not all of the dust/debris will come with it.
Rub-down the jack with some rubbing alcohol. You can use this in particularly sticky situations, but be sure that the swab is lightly coated and not sopping wet.
First, squeeze out any excess moisture. Put it back inside of the jack and give it another whirl to finish out the job.
The rubbing alcohol should dry quickly on its own, but be sure to wipe out excess moisture from time to time so it doesn’t have time to corrode the jack itself. Once again, a quick swabbing should do the trick.
Use Taped Paper Click
You can use a paperclip in several different ways. The pointed end of the paperclip can be used to poke out debris or even build with some clay.
You may have noticed that the inner side of the paper clip is flat. You can use this particular side of the paper clip when trying to suck up debris from your computer jack.
As an alternative to paperclips, it would be best to use toothpicks if possible because they are less likely to scratch up and damage the computer but both if fine in a pinch!
However, if too much pressure is applied onto your motherboard accidentally, there may be cases where internal circuitry gets damaged beyond repair.
Using the tape attached to your packet, apply the tape onto your papers clip and wrap it around at least three times.
This is important as you don’t want to run out of tape easily when it’s time for you to use it.
Check to see if the tape has been applied properly and that it won’t peel off by moving the paper clip slowly back and forth.
Before using it, carefully check for any lint or debris stuck in-between your screen protector just in case you need to remove anything with it first before proceeding with cleaning.
FAQs Related to the Topic
How do you clean a 2.5 mm jack?
Put some alcohol on a Q-tip and make sure it’s fully saturated before cleaning your jack.
Swab the tip around gently, being careful not to touch anything else nearby.
Even if you can’t see any residue on the swab, it’s important to clean whatever was in your jack earlier.
How do I get my headphone jack to work again?
As with most things in our world, headphones get dirty and need to be cleaned often.
That’s why it can help to have a few different ways of making sure they are lint-free and fit snugly into your ear.
Although some recommend blowing into the headphone jack as a way to clean it instead of compressed air or cotton swabs, these methods don’t always provide the best results.
Why do my headphones keep popping out of the jack?
Dust, dirt, or even lint can collect inside the headphone jack and prevent the earphone plug from clicking in.
Get a small flashlight or use your smartphone’s LED light and shine it into the port to make sure that there are no clogs obstructing its path.
How do you clean headphone jacks?
After putting your phone in your pocket, lint can sometimes get caught in the headphone jack.
Though using a paperclip to push it out might seem like the right way to remove them, sticky tapes will be better at dislodging textile fibers without causing any damage.
Conclusion
Headphones have become a common accessory these days. While headphones are a great invention, they have their fair share of issues.
One of the most common issues with headphones is that they get contaminated. It is not uncommon to find somebody with headphones with no audio output.
The problem arises when you do not know the cause of the problem. Instead of buying a new pair of headphones, you should clean the headphone jack.
If you have started to listen to the sound of your phone but there are still some problems in listening to the sound, you can clean the headphone jack of your phone with the above-mentioned ways.
I hope after reading this article you will understand how to clean headphone jack.