How To Clean Your Airpods At Home. With our safe and effective cleaning recommendations, you can keep your AirPods looking and sounding their best.
Dirt and bacteria can collect on AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max, which you don’t want to introduce into your ear canal because they might cause irritation or illness. When it comes to your AirPods, a buildup of wax, moisture, and other contaminants might degrade their effectiveness. It’s filthy all over.
The little white AirPods and AirPods Pro, on the other hand, can appear delicate when it comes to cleaning. Even the hefty AirPods Max might be perplexing due to the mix of materials used in their construction. We’re here to assist you if you’re unsure how to clean any or all of them.
The first thing you can do is take some preventative measures. Consider obtaining a third-party strap to keep AirPods and AirPods Pro tied to each other and less prone to fall if you want to keep them out of the mud and water as much as possible. There are a variety of styles available, ranging from plain silicone to dazzling gold. Instead of leaving your AirPods Max out or letting them roam wild in a backpack, keep them in their case while not in use.
Table of Contents
Useful—And Avoidable—Products
Lint-free rags, cotton swabs, and a little water are all you’ll need to keep your AirPods clean.
Prior to the pandemic, Apple merely recommended using water and lint-free towels to clean most of its gadgets. It’s now okay to clean the external portions of AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max with 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes, 75% ethyl alcohol wipes, or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. However, such wipes should not be used on the AirPods Max’s knit mesh or ear cushion.
Also, you should never clean AirPods with bleach or anything containing hydrogen peroxide.
Upkeep
The best way to extend the life of your AirPods is to keep them clean. Clean AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max with a dry, lint-free cloth for basic maintenance. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or expensive, like Apple’s $19 Polishing Cloth. A dry cotton swab can be used to clean any microphone or speaker mesh.
Cleaning your AirPods using Apple’s $19 Polishing Cloth is lovely, but any lint-free cloth would suffice.
A Deeper Clean
If your AirPods have gotten something on them, such as lotion or food (it happens), or have been subjected to a lot of sweat, you can give them a little rubdown with a lint-free cloth dampened with a little water. After drying them with a lint-free cloth, let them aside for a few minutes before putting them back in the case. If earwax is still present, hold your AirPods with the mesh facing down and lightly clean the mesh with a dry cotton swab. If it’s still stuck, carefully run a toothpick or other small pointed object around the mesh’s edges, but be wary that too much force will loosen or dislodge the mesh.
If you want to clean the AirPods Pro more thoroughly, remove the ear tips and rinse them with water. If earwax or anything else is still clinging to them, remove it with a wet cotton swab. Use a lint-free cloth to dry the ear tips, and don’t put them back on until they’re completely dry.
Cleaning the AirPods Max is as simple as wiping them off with a moistened lint-free cloth and then drying them. Because the AirPods Max are headphones, they have a larger surface area where dirt might collect. You can give the pillows and headband a quick wash if they appear or feel dirty. To clean the ear cushions separately, remove them first. Then, using a lint-free cloth, wipe down the band and cushions with a solution made from a teaspoon of mild detergent and a cup of water. After that, wipe all of the components with merely water on a cloth and let them dry fully.
A Case For Case Cleaning
Because your AirPods are frequently in their case, you’ll want to keep it clean as well. If the case really needs it, use a clean, lint-free cloth slightly wet with water or an alcohol wipe. Before you put your AirPods back in, make sure the case is totally dry. While the case is drying, you should turn it upside down.
Finally, check out our five simple recommendations for extending the life of your AirPods and other headphones. Also, make sure you’re not doing any of these eight things with your headphones.