I have about a dozen power outlets in my apartment, most of which have
at best 2 of the 3 prongs clear for use.  Most of the outlets I cannot
plug in a 3-prong plug because I simply cannot force it into the
outlet (there is too much paint built up in the 3rd prong).  Aside
from turning off the circuit-breaker and changing the actual outlet,
is there a way to just clean it out?  I was thinking maybe using a
small amount of paint thinner on a q-tip or maybe using a plastic awl
or something like that.

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 31 Mar 2003 09:18 PST

You should be able to unscrew the plates from the wall, and clean them
out with solvent, or just by poking something sharp through the holes.
 Obviously, though, these techniques SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 31 Mar 2003 09:21 PST

[somehow, my earlier comment was prematurely posted...]

You should be able to unscrew the plates from the wall, and clean them
out with solvent, or just by poking something sharp through the holes.
 Obviously, though, these techniques SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED with the
plates still near the power supply.

Removing the plates might cause some localized paint chipping, but
this may be inevitable.

Also, you can a three-prong-to-two-prong convertor.  This may partly
solve your problem, but it also overrides the added safety of the
three prong outlet.

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Clarification of Question by josh1r-ga on 31 Mar 2003 09:46 PST

Not only are the plates clogged, but the outlet itself is clogged. 
Removing the plate will help but I really need to clean the actual
outlet.

Greetings Josh1r:

I had the same problem in my home - the painters possessed zero common
sense in painting electrical and telephone outlets.

While I DO NOT suggest you do this, a friend of mine took a plastic
awl-type tool with a rubber handle and slowly cleaned the holes in a
couple of the outlets.  I replaced the rest. (Unfortunately, with the
telephone connections, I had to actually replace the entire telephone
outlet because they didn't lend themselves to easy cleaning without
breaking.) I would also suggest you steer clear of chemicals to clean
the inside of the outlet.

The SAFEST way you should approach this is to simply replace the
outlets.  It is not a difficult process.  If I, a woman who had no
prior electrical experience, can do it, you can do it, too.  It simply
requires respect of electrical current and common sense.

First you must purchase a circuit tester to make certain the
electrical current has been successfully turned off and then simply
replace the outlets with new ones.  I bought mine for 60 cents each at
a local hardware store and a good current tester cost me $7.00 - and
always reconnect the ground wire as it is present for home safety.

To learn how to replace an electrical outlet, see
http://doityourself.com/electric/replacingwalloutlet.htm or
http://oh.essortment.com/electricaloutle_ribl.htm for easy
instructions.


Should you require clarification of any of the links or information I
have presented, please request it and I will be happy to respond.


SEARCH STRATEGY:

replacing an electrical outlet

Good links and explanation.  Thanks!

You're really best off just getting new outlets. They're not expensive
-- you can probably replace all of them for about $10-$15 total and an
hour or two of work. Electricity is not something you want to fool
around with.