How to Clean AirPods, Earbuds, and Headphones

Earbuds and headphones may get filthy. Skin cells, sebum, ear wax, and face cosmetics stick to the areas of your body that come into contact with them. Every time you set your headphones down, they gather up additional dirt from the environment around you. And, contrary to popular belief, sucking on your AirPods is not a safe technique to clean them. This may cause damage to the driver, protective mesh, and electronics (not to mention the fact that it’s just plain unpleasant). However, there are simple methods for thoroughly cleaning your personal audio equipment (for your own well-being and before lending or borrowing a pair).

What you’ll require

• Soapy water: It’s preferable to use dish soap (we use Seventh Generation Dish Liquid) instead of hand soap because it wipes cleaner (which may have moisturisers and added colors).
• A soft cloth: Your device will not be scratched with a microfiber cloth used for polishing glass or glasses.
• Earbud cleaning tool: Designed specifically to clean the muck out of earbuds, this tool is your greatest friend when it comes to clearing blocked sound tubes.
• Silica gel pack: This will keep your headphones dry and fresh in gym bags or humid areas.
• Rubbing alcohol: When used carefully and with caution, this will disinfect your device’s silicone eartips and hard plastic components.

How often should your headphones be cleaned?

When it comes to cleaning your earbuds or headphones, there is no hard and fast rule. The frequency will vary depending on how often you use your ear protection, what you’re doing while wearing it, and where you reside.

For example, if you use headphones on a daily basis and keep them on your desk, you should wash them off every week or so. If you sweat a lot, your gym earphones may need to be cleaned out after each usage.

The finest piece of advice is to keep an eye on your belongings. Clean your headphones as soon as you see earwax, dust, sticky fingerprints, oil, or perspiration on them. Putting it off will simply result in additional muck and make your work more difficult.

AirPods, earbuds, and headphones: How to Clean Them

Wipe down your headphones or earphones on a regular basis. At the very least once a week, wipe out your headphone earpads or earbud tips with a gently wet towel. Make sure your headphones are turned off and unplugged from your device. Dry them completely with a soft cloth right away. Alcohol should not be used since it can lose colour or break down leather or cloth more quickly. Any nastiness will be washed away with soap and water.

Clean the interior with a gentle brush to eliminate dirt.

Wax accumulation might make your earphones sound muffled. Invest in a low-cost cleaning instrument that is intended to remove wax (some high-end in-ear models even come with one).

To begin, remove the earbuds’ eartips. Then carefully scoop out any ear wax with the tool’s metal-loop side.

If you slam the loop into the tip while the earbud is still on your ear, wax will go inside the earbud and destroy the driver.

Next, carefully wipe anything adhered to the earphones using the tool’s tiny, soft brush end.

Clean the charging case and the connections to the batteries.

It’s critical to clean the casing and connections of true wireless earbuds like AirPods that are placed in a charging case on a regular basis.

Most wireless earbuds use tiny pins and metal pads to charge, which can become clogged with earwax and dust. It’s possible that your earphones won’t charge correctly as a result of this.

Apple advises cleaning both the AirPods case and the earphones using a dry cloth to clean the interior of the case. To clean the pins on the inside of the shell and the earbud connections, we prefer to use a cotton swab moistened (not dripping!) with isopropyl alcohol.

If your over-ear headphones don’t seem to be charging consistently, you might try this approach on the charging ports. The brush side of the gadget indicated above will perform wonders for congested USB-C and Micro-USB ports.

Wipe down your headphones after each workout and let them dry completely before charging.

Even if your headphones are sweat- and water-resistant, don’t leave them wet for lengthy periods of time since water can slowly sneak into battery compartments or earbuds, causing them to sort out or damaging the drivers. Before putting true wireless earbuds into their charging case, make sure they’re completely dry. (Even swim headphones should be allowed to completely dry before being stored.) Allowing moisture into the earcups of over-ear headphones or the nozzles of in-ear headphones is not a good idea.

If you need to pull your headphones out in the middle of a run or can’t wait for them to dry fully before leaving the gym, gently shake them out, turn off the power, and place them in the provided case or a small zip-close snack baggie. Keep your earphones in a water-resistant case in your workout shorts pocket or sports bra. Both of these areas gather perspiration and prevent the earphones from drying completely. Then, when you get home, clean the earphones and let them dry as directed.

When not in use, store them in a bag or case.

They will be protected from dirt, scratches, and collisions as a result of this. You may either use the case that came with them or purchase one afterwards. Just make sure that the case you pick fits your headphones.

Avoid wearing or storing your headphones in very hot or cold temperatures.

Saunas and vehicle trunks aren’t excellent places for headphones, especially if they’re battery-powered. Also, even if they’re water-resistant, don’t keep them in a humid atmosphere or while they’re wet for a long period. Keep a silica gel pack in the luggage for added protection (just be sure to keep gel packs away from kids and pets).

If your headphones are powered, don’t store them with the charging port or battery compartment open.

Even if your headphones aren’t going to get wet, keeping the port open allows dirt and dust to enter. If your headphones don’t have a door and only have a Micro-USB or USB-C connection for charging, dust it out as stated above on a regular basis. Check for water within the port before plugging in if you’ve been working out or strolling in the rain.

If you’re using wired earphones or headphones, don’t kink, bunch, or wrap the cable around your device while it’s still plugged in.

Wrapping your headphones around your phone while it’s still plugged in bends the wire at a steep angle where it meets the plug end, causing it to rip out of the casing. To properly wrap the cord, carefully loop it around your fingers in a circle, following the wire’s natural curvature. Use a twist knot from a loaf of bread or a small Velcro cable tie to prevent tangling.

Hold the socket or cable end, not the cable itself, to disconnect your headphones or charging case.

Pulling the wire to unplug or remove headphones from your device might cause the cable to deteriorate over time. Also, don’t tug on the cord to remove wired earbuds from your ears, especially if they’re sealed; the vacuum generated can harm your ears. Instead, take the earbud in your hand and twist it slightly as you pull it outward.

Your headphones will keep cleaner and in better form if you follow these rules, and they will last much longer.

Author Bio – Vivek Roy is an enthusiastic Tech and gadget blogger from India. He loves to share tips and news from all around the world. For more information about him visit his website Leaf Studios.