Clean out a gunked up USB port

[diluzio91]

I have one USB port on my macbook that no longer works because of a buildup of gunk on the contacts. How can i clean these ports and the contacts out safely...?

[OvRiDe]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Apple%26%23174%3B+-+MacBook%26%23174%3B+Pro+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B2+Duo+Processor +/+13.3%22+Display+/+4GB+Memory+/+250GB+Hard+Drive+-+Aluminum/9911593.p?id=1218193867751&skuId=9911593

:)

I am not that familiar with Macbooks physically, you can't take the battery out of them can you?

If you can.. remove it and you can try using some alcohol and q-tips. It might get enough of the gunk off.

[Diamon]

Tried compressed air? May or may not work depending on how "sticky" the gunk is.

[billygoat333]

+1 on the alcohol and q-tips. works like a charm on old cartridge games too :) (take out the battery for sure, or at LEAST let it drain out til its dead.)

[Oneslowz28]

I third the alcohol and qtip method. Or you can sell it, and buy a PC with fresh USB ports. If it were me, I would do the latter.

[x88x]

remove it and you can try using some alcohol and q-tips. It might get enough of the gunk off.

Ditto. If it's a later model and you can't take the battery out, at least make sure it's completely powered off.

[crenn]

The question that springs to mind is how did it get gunked up in the first place?

[diluzio91]

last year in college i spilled milk, it covered my macbook keyboard, and my desktop's keyboard. i inverted the laptop and nothing got ruined, and the only problems i've had were one of my usb ports and the SD slot getting covered with sticky gunk that makes the connection reliability range from good to poor. im thinking that when i upgrade my ram ill just do everything. (picked up a 4gb kit for 46.02 for it from a 99% rated seller who upgraded his macbook to 8gb). Ill post a worklog of macintosh guts.

@ oneslowz28, when you find a laptop with huge battery life, an extremly rugged case (aluminum or other metal) 13 inch screen, and its as small as my mac ill buy 1. I can also use this as a portable light gaming system when im on the go. as far as i can tell this is the only 1 in its price range for the features. (says i as i sit smugly with windows 7 ultimate on my macbook)

[Konrad]

Another +1 on compressed air, alcohol, q-tips. These are the classic electrical cleaners. Make sure you get pure (anhydrous) isopropyl; the drugstore stuff is sometimes diluted with perfumes and additives which will leave electrically-bad residue.

Alternately, you can buy all sorts of electrical contact cleaners (like 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Terpine) - not really worth the cost for just a single USB port. And you can use electrical contact lubricants or enhancers like DeOxit and Stabilant-22. Excellent products, but again not really worth the expense for a single USB port.

Obviously you'll want to disconnect all power (including batteries, including mobo battery, to be safe) before getting things wet.

[farlo]

if its oxidized any, try some deoxit, i use it to clean the potentiometers on my guitar and amp when they get scratchy.

[nevermind1534]

if its oxidized any, try some deoxit, i use it to clean the potentiometers on my guitar and amp when they get scratchy.

+1 on that; it works great on the pots on old radios.