Cleaning your AirPods
You can expect your Airpods to pick up dirt over time. From sticking them in your ears to carrying them around in your purse or pocket, AirPods are bound to pick up some grime. However, dirt buildup can affect the quality of your AirPods’ speaker and microphone. And putting dirty earbuds in your ears could cause a nasty ear infection. Since AirPods aren’t cheap, you want to make sure you clean them correctly without causing any damage.
Luckily, Apple released advice on how to clean your AirPods safely. Easy and cheap, the cleaning process only takes a couple of minutes a week, and regular cleaning will help keep your AirPods in good working order.
How often should you clean AirPods?
Although there’s no set frequency for how often you should clean your AirPods, we’d recommend giving them a quick clean every one to two weeks. Again, this depends on how regularly you use them. If you wear them throughout the day, you may need to clean them more often. However, your earbuds shouldn’t be too dirty after a week or two of use, so it shouldn’t take you more than five minutes to clean them.
Are AirPods waterproof?
AirPods are water-resistant, but the AirPod charging case is not waterproof or water-resistant. So it’s okay for your AirPods to get a little damp, like during a heavy workout. But you should avoid letting any moisture get into your charging case, especially into the internal docks and exterior charging port. And while your AirPods can get slightly damp, it’s never a good idea to clean them with a wet towel as this can damage the speakers or microphones.
Can you safely sanitize AirPods?
A lot of people have concerns about exposure to bacteria on their personal devices. If you want to sanitize your AirPods safely, you can absolutely do this. According to Apple, it’s safe to clean the exterior casing of your AirPods and the outside of the charging case with 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes, such as Pharma-C-Wipes. However, you should make sure not to use them on the speaker or microphone mesh of your AirPods or inside the charging port of your AirPod charging case.
How to clean AirPod earpieces
The parts of AirPods that need the most attention are the earpieces. This is because they pick up earwax when you put them in your ears. The cleaning process varies depending on whether you own AirPods or AirPods Pro since both have different earpiece designs.
AirPods
Classic Apple AirPods have solid plastic earpieces with mesh-covered speaker openings. While it’s easy to clean the plastic with a soft, lint-free cloth, the mesh poses more of a challenge. Apple recommends cleaning the mesh with either a dry cotton swab or a soft-bristled brush. If you’re looking for a more eco-friendly alternative to single-use cotton swabs, you can use LastSwab Reusable Cotton Swab to clean the speaker mesh of your AirPods. Otherwise, try using a hearing aid cleaning brush, which is specifically designed to gently clean wax out of earpieces.
When it comes to cleaning the microphone, you can also use swabs and brushes to wipe away debris. However, some people find a cotton swab or brush simply pushes wax and debris further into the mesh. In this case, you might have more luck with AirSquares. These small pieces of cleaning putty get deep into the crevices of AirPod earpieces and help pull out all the gunk.
AirPods Pro
Apple AirPods Pro is the more advanced version of AirPods and features noise-canceling technology. These AirPods have flexible silicone tips on their earpieces, which makes them much easier to clean. To clean the silicone tips on your AirPod Pro earpieces, simply pop the tips off and rinse them under running water. Do not use any soap or other cleaning products. Dry off the tips with a lint-free cleaning cloth and remove any residual wax or dirt. Make sure the silicone tips are completely dry before putting them back onto your AirPods Pro.
How to clean AirPod exteriors
The exterior housing of AirPods doesn’t typically get dirty unless you touch it with grimy hands. If that happens, a quick wipe with a dry, lint-free cleaning cloth should do the trick. That said, as we mentioned above, it is safe to sanitize the exterior housing with 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes should you wish to do so, as long as you avoid the speaker and microphone mesh.
How to clean AirPod cases
Like the exterior housing of AirPods, the charging case only gets grubby when you touch it with dirty hands. So wiping it down with a soft, lint-free cloth should suffice. However, you may notice a ridge along the opening of the case, which can pick up debris over time. Pay special attention to this area, and use a cloth, soft-bristled brush or cotton swab to clean the area.
Tips for cleaning AirPods
Follow these quick tips to clean your AirPods without damaging them.
Never run your AirPods, AirPods Pro or AirPod charging cases underwater.
Don’t use cleaning products or soap to clean your AirPods. It is safe to use isopropyl alcohol wipes, as long as you avoid touching any mesh or ports.
If your AirPods get wet during the cleaning process, make sure they’re completely dry before using them or returning them to their charging case.
Avoid cleaning your Airpods with abrasive materials or sharp objects, even if you want to clean stubborn debris. This could cause internal or external damage.
Should any debris get inside the Lightning port of the charging case, remove it gently with a dry soft-bristled brush.
Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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