Spilled stuff on my iPod, USB cable port doesn't work

Question

Today I spilled some yogurt I was drinking. My iPod Touch was right there besides the glass, so almost all the screen was covered. I quickly cleaned it with a wet towel, but some yogurt got into the USB cable port. I left the iPod standing vertically for a while, hoping that the yogurt would just fall off.

The iPod still works fine. The problem is that when I connect it to the computer, nothing happens. When I look into the port, there seems to be some white stuff, but I don't know if that was there before.

Should I take the iPod to a Mac store, or should I attempt to clean it myself? If the latter, how should I do that?

I can get pictures if it helps.

Answer 1

If it's still under warranty, absolutely take it into an Apple Store (not an authorized Apple repair shop) and talk to one of the Geniuses. Tell them the story, and above all be completely honest with them.

I've had my iPhone 4 replaced for a faulty home button, but couldn't reproduce the symptoms. My friend, the same deal (we really did try with his, but just couldn't reproduce the issue). My other friend dropped her iPhone 4 from a truck, smashed the glass. They happily gave her a new one, no hassle. My brother, same exact deal (although he did not drop it from a truck, but rather it fell from his pocket).

Some Geniuses tell you they charge $299 for a replacement, but will often waive that fee the first time. Other's will smile and make your day.

I encourage everyone I know to put Apple's legendary customer service to the test.

Now if it's not under warranty, cleaning it before it sits on there too long and likely corrodes the connectors is an excellent idea. You want to grab a q-tip (cotton swab) and some isopropyl alcohol (try to grab 99.9% pure if you can). Do not use anything else, it will harm the connectors. And again, I strongly suggest you do this soon.