After keeping my iPhone data/charging cable in the car for too long, I have the problem described here which is that the tiny contacts on the "lightning" end of the cable have become corroded, and the cable no longer works.
I'm not even sure what chemical factors are causing it to happen—moisture, perhaps?—but apparently others have reported that it happens when you leave the cable in your car (which, to save hassle, I would ideally like to do).
Wherever I've seen the issue discussed, the "answer" always seems to be to replace the cable. But these cables are expensive and replacing any physical object on a regular basis is tedious. Is there any kitchen chemistry I can use to remove the corrosion? Or to prevent it from happening in the first place?