Apple - How can I clean a MagSafe power port on my MacBook Air

Start with a pencil eraser or small wooden dowel / tool to gently dislodge the debris. As the magnets are very strong, you may need to use tape with a strong adhesive to grab the foreign material. Clear packing tape strikes a good balance between not leaving residue and getting the crud out. Duct tape also is nice, but a bit more sticky and may grab the plastic covering if it is wearing or the adhesive is warm from internal heat.

So:

1. Power off the mac
2. Let the connector cool
3. Be gentle - don't tear the magsafe covering
4. know you can get it serviced with a new connector if needed for approx $40 in labor and the part might run you between $10 and $40 depending on the model.

And I know Apple recommends a toothbrush and a cotton swab. The first will get off huge easily removed debris, but not staples and highly magnetic items that are small. The latter is actually quite nice in many cases as it will grab items with a sharp edge. Usually when things are gunked up enough to displace the adapter - you'll have many fine pieces accumulated and need tape or stronger tools than a q-tip.

Here's the solution I used to clean out metal fragments in my connector socket: Use Blu-Tack or Sticky Tack! This cleans out the connector socket almost immediately and it took less than a penny's worth of tack! Just roll it around in the connector and it'll work fine :)

From Apple's Support site:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1713

If your MagSafe connectors requires cleaning:

To clean the DC plug on either the computer or the power adapter, disconnect the adapter from the wall outlet and/or remove the battery from the computer. Remove debris gently with a cotton swab or a soft bristle toothbrush, which provide the strength, flexibility, and precision for this task. Be careful not to get any cotton fibers stuck in the pin receptacle. You may use isopropyl alcohol to aid in cleaning the connectors as well. Be sure the connectors are dry before using the computer or adapter after cleaning.

Note: The power adapter port contains a magnet that can erase data on a credit card or other magnetic device if it gets too close. In order to preserve and protect your data, Apple recommends that you keep magnetic media away from the power adapter port.