On Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:29:58 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:54:32 -0400, micky
wrote:

What is the difference between tuner cleaner and contact cleaner?

Not much, since many vendors sell a product that does both. Sometimes
either one claims to "lubricate" the contacts, which means that it
leaves an oily residue.

A friend needs the connection between her earphones and her cell phone
cleaned.

Any particular cell phone?

Yeah. It's a Sony Ericson W580i.

Not all EP connectors are the same. If in
doubt, use an air hose to remove the accumulated lint and filth. If
the contacts are exposed, sharpen a pencil eraser to a point and use
it to clean the contacts. Then use the air hose to remove the crud.

Okay.

She gets intermittent loss of sound, and iiuc wiggliing the
plug affects this sound But I don't think the solder connections are
bad, sine she had it cleaned a year ago for the same problem and it
worked well until a month ago.

It's almost certainly the solder connection between the jack and the
PCB.

Okay. Although the first cleaning caused it to work fine for almost a
years.

Open her unspecified model cell phone, clean out the filth, and
resolder the connector.

Okay.

If the connector appears to be cracked,
replace the connector.

I'll be able to find one for sale? (Don't waste your time looking.
After all, I haven't said it's cracked yet.)

It's some sort of non-standard, proprietary plug.

Sorry, but I couldn't find anything under proprietary plug.

grin

I'm not sure what to use, and I've long wondered about the difference
between tuner cleaner and contact cleaner. When she went to the
cell phone store, he used Keyboard Cleaner. I think the plastic is
really clean now

I wouldn't use either type of "cleaner". Some 90% alcohol to disolve
out any grease left by the previous attempt to use tuner/contact
cleaner.

I don't know what was used the first time. I wasn't involved. Right
now I don't even remember if she did it herself or she went to a phone
store.

If that doesn't work, tear the phone apart.

I'd like that, but she may not trust me.