When we use our devices carelessly, they might become filthy and even get clogged with debris or dust from the environment. The same thing happens with HDMI ports when they are not cleaned properly and on time. Over time the dirt and dust will start accumulating in the port and can affect the performance of your device. 

The HDMI ports are metallic, so you cannot wash them or clean them simply using water. There are a few methods that are effortless, and don't require any special tools or instruments. They will take only a few minutes, and can be easily executed at home.

How Do You Clean An HDMI Cable Out?

Cleaning with air

The air cleaning is most appropriate and easy to perform method you can use for the cleaning of the HDMI port. Just a can of compressed air is required to do this and nothing more. It is most useful when your HDMI port is simply clogged with dust. This process is also very cheap.

You should always start with turning off the computer. This will ensure the safety of the battery if you perform it on a laptop. Plug off all the HDMI cables from your device, then place the device at the table at such an angle where you can easily see the inner section. You can lay something soft beneath your device.

Now carefully examine the HDMI port of the device for any larger contaminants. You should easily see larger pieces of filth beside the dust. You should wear gloves or just properly wash your hands to prevent any more dirt from getting inside.

You can use tweezers to pick up the biggest pieces of dirt. You can remove the dust from the outer surface of the port by using a brush with very smooth hair. A smooth wipe sheet can also do the trick. Make sure the cloth you are using is lint-free, as it might further contaminate the surface.

Now you can try blowing air inside the port to remove the dust and lint from there. Compressed air can easily blow off the dirt and dust and does not require using any sharp object to pull out the dirt out of your port, so it is very safe.

The compressed air cans are available in the most hardware stores. You can also find it by the name of canned air. These cans are very simple to use, just take the can and blow the air into the HDMI port through the straw-like extension. Blow the air in short and controlled bursts until all the dust is gone. You should be careful while blowing the air, not to let the dirt enter the other parts of the laptop.

Use Isopropyl alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is the type of antiseptic that can remove sticky dust and other stubborn stains from any surface. It usually comes at  standard concentrations of 95% or 80%.

You may consider diluting the solution to prevent it from drying. Now take a cotton swab or cotton bud, and soak it in the solution. Then you can easily remove the sticky dirt from the port using this cotton bud. 

After cleaning the port, leave it to dry. Alcohol is a volatile liquid which can evaporate quickly, so it won't take much time. Do not plug in the cable until the port is completely dry. You can use any lint-free cloth to wipe out the remains of the solution.

Use DeoxIT Gold Solution

DeoxIT Gold is an outstanding solution for the cleaning and conditioning ports of any electronics device. This product is a non-conductive and nonflammable, which is available at the stores in various concentrations, usually from 5% to 10%.

It is often used to remove corrosion and abrasion from a variety of metal surfaces. It can both clean the oxidized metal and remove dust, grease and any other contamination found on a metal surface. You can apply this product without any secondary equipment, just give a short burst of DeoxIT Gold Solution and all the corrosion will be quickly dissolved. It will spread on the surface in the form of a thin film and provide a conditioning effect. 

This film will act as a seal against dust and other contaminants. This solution is also available in other forms like DeoxIT Gold pen wipes and even brushes for the cleaning of the internal parts of your devices. All these products will help you clean your gadget much faster.

This product is a little bit on the expensive side but totally worth buying because of its multiple possible applications. This is one of the best solutions for the convenient cleaning of your electronic devices.

Use toothpicks to clean the clogged HDMI Ports

At times some kinds of nasty and stubborn sticky substances like grease or clogged dust could get stuck in the HDMI port. Using compressed air is not always enough to remove all sticky obstructions. These debris or pieces of filth should be picked out with the help of some thin and sharp object.  

A simple toothpick can serve perfectly for this purpose. A toothpick is a useful instrument to remove any kind of filth or dirt from a narrow space of an HDMI port easily. A smooth and sharp plastic card can also be used for the same purpose.

Before using a toothpick, take a look at its thickness. If it is too thick to get inside the port, make it thinner with a sharp knife. Your toothpick should be  thin enough to pull all the debris easily. Alternatively you can use a sharp end of the dental floss to clean up the gadget. Be gentle while moving the toothpick inside the HDMI port, as It can damage the fragile part of your device. The electric connector inside the port can also get damaged.

After you're done cleaning, just wipe out all of the debris with a soft cloth. Try not to use a cotton swab or any kind of maintenance. And don't forget to clean the cable connectors regularly, as they can also bring dirt inside when getting connected.