Brushpicks

by Ed Sawicki

A few times in the past, I was unable to plug in the charging cable to my iPhone. There was something blocking the plug from being fully inserted. Looking inside the iPhone connector, I was able to see some material that shouldn't be there.

I tried to blow it out with my breath, but it wouldn't budge. I had to use some sort of tool to dislodge it, but the connector has gold-plated contacts that should not be scratched. That ruled out any sort of metal tools. The right tool was in my bathroom drawer—brushpicks.

Brushpicks are made of nylon and are the right size for getting into tight spaces like the iPhone connector. The nylon material prevents damaging the electrical contacts. Still, only apply as much force as is necessary.

If you ever need to get into tighter spaces, the brushpicks can be sanded or filed down to size. Oh, and you can use them on your teeth.