First go and buy the new outlet. Most of the time all you will need is a 15amp. standard outlet. Now get your phillips and straight screwdrivers. Have some electrical tape and we can get started.
Turn off the power to the outlet by switching the breaker in the circuit box to the off position. If you are not sure which is the proper one, plug in a lamp or radio into the outlet or have someone tell you when the light in that room goes off as you switch the breakers. If you use the radio method, you can listen for the radio to stop working. Now remove the outlet cover. Remove the two screws holding the outlet in place. Gently pull the outlet towards you. Remove any tape or debris that may be on the outlet. Observe the way the outlet is wired. Loosen the screws holding the wires in place. Remove the outlet from the wires. You should have one black wire and one white one. The black is a hot wire the white is the negative. Some call it the ground wire. Place the black wire on the gold screw. Place the white wire on the silver screw. Some new outlets have a black screw instead of the gold for the hot wire. Don't worry even though this is a hot wire, it is dead since you switched the breaker to the off position. Tighten the screws and now wrap some black tape around the screws and exposed wires to prevent a short if they come in contact with metal. Return outlet to proper position and screw into place. Note that if the new screws are to short you will need to use the ones that were on the original outlet. Replace outlet cover and switch breaker to the on position. Plug something into the outlet and admire your work.
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