Protecting the Cord from Damage
Keep the cord loose and curved when it's plugged in. You've probably been somewhere where the outlet was just out of reach and you pulled the cord tightly to plug it in. Unfortunately, bending the cord at a sharp angle and pulling it strains the cord so it becomes weak. Move closer to the outlet if the cord isn't slack when you plug it in.
Unplug the charger from the outlet instead of pulling on the cord. It's easy to yank on the cord to pull the charger out of the wall, but this is rough on the cord itself. Pulling can also damage the charger prongs that fit into the outlet. When you go to unplug the charger, pull it out without tugging on the cord. Don't let the heavy charger drop or dangle from the cord once you've unplugged it. The weight can pull down on the cord and weaken it.
Wrap the cord in a loose loop when you're not using it. It can be tempting to coil the wire tightly around the plug or to wad it up if you’re in a hurry, but these can stress the cord. Instead, wrap the cord around 3 or 4 of your fingers to make a loose loop. Then, place the charger somewhere out of the reach of pets and children when you’re not using it. If you're storing the cord with several other cords, put them into an organizer or tote that has dividers. This prevents the cords from getting tangled together.
Pack the wrapped cord in a pouch or zippered bag when you travel. Don't toss your charger into your suitcase or backpack the next time you take a trip. All that jostling up against things in your bag weakens the cord and leads to fraying. Once you wrap the cord, put it into a small pouch or zippered bag that's just for the cord. You can buy or make small pouches or bags that wrap around your cords and don't take up a lot of space.
Replace the cord if it's frayed or wires are visible. Not only could you electrocute yourself, but you could damage the delicate circuitry that's in your laptop or phone if you try to repair or use the frayed cord. Look at your cord every few days and recycle the charger if you notice kinks, breaks, bends, or frayed wires. Find an electronic recycling center in your community or drop off the damaged cord at your cell phone provider's nearest store.
Buy cord protectors to strengthen the ends of the cord. To give your charger cord extra stability where the wire's weakest, buy a package of cord protectors. Push a protector onto the cord and slide it down to the end so it holds the cord straight. Do this for the opposite end as well so the cord doesn't bend when you plug it in. Remember that you should never put cord protectors onto a cord that's already fraying.
Weave paracord along the charger if you want to protect the length of the cord. Measure the length of your cord and cut a piece of paracord that's 12 times as long. Slide the middle of the paracord under the charger cord and cross the ends over each other to make a loop. Bring 1 end through the loop and pull to make a knot. Then, slip the knot to the end of the charger cord. Braid the paracord around the charger cord until you reach the other end and trim off the excess.Tip: To prevent the cord from sliding as you work, tape the ends of the cord to a desk or table. Then, you can focus on wrapping and sliding the paracord in place. To braid the paracord, cross the paracord ends so they're over the charger cord. Then, pull 1 paracord end under the charger and up through the loop. Repeat this to weave the paracord. For example, if you have a 6 inches (15 cm) cord, get out 72 inches (180 cm) of paracord.
Reinforcing the Cord with a Spring
Remove the spring from a click or spring action pen. Find an old pen that you don't want to write with anymore and unscrew it to open it up. Slide the thin wire spring out of the pen. You don't need the other parts of the pen so you can discard them or save them for a different project.
Pull the spring apart by the ends to loosen it. The spring is probably coiled tightly, which can make it tricky to get onto your charger cord. Take both ends of the spring between your fingers and pull the spring about ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) apart so the coils are farther apart.
Twist the spring around 1 end of the charger cord. Take 1 end of the spring and hold it against the cord. Pinch it so it doesn't move around and use your other hand to twist the rest of the spring around the cord. Then, slide it to the end of the cord so it protects the weakened end from fraying.Tip: If you'd like to strengthen the cord before you reinforce it with the spring, wrap electrical tape around the ends. Do not attempt this if the cord is fraying since the electrical tape can't repair it. Repeat this for the other end if you want to reinforce both ends of the cord.
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