so ... how would i clean those contact ... someone i think suggested
sticking a qtip into the hole where headphone jack goes ... shud the
qtip be dipped in alcohol or some other cleaning fluid?

If you have headphones, the first thing I would try is just plugging the
headphones in and unplugging them several times. If this helps, you're on
the right track and 1 drop of rubbing alcohol on the tip of the plug would
be the next move -- then plug it in and unplug it repeatedly. I don't think
a Q-tip stem would be particularly helpful since it wouldn't come in contact
with the contacts.

Next step would be to open up the radio and see if you can actually get to
the contacts.

If the headphone jack is the same as in the ICF-2010 (2001), then, sadly, it
is a unique item no longer available from Sony. With my ICF-2010, I worked
out a way to use a commercially available one, with circuit modifications.
Lacking an ICF-7600 service manual, I don't know what to advise, but the
problem is soluble.

That's assuming it is the headphone jack.