The average person spends about 18 hours each week listening to music. After all that time, your headphones are bound to get a bit grungy. Here are the effective and right ways on how to clean Airpods.

If your go-to Bluetooth headphones are AirPods, you don’t want to spend all that money only to have them get dirty over time and stop working well. It is important to clean both headphones and earbuds regularly to avoid infection and unnecessary mess. Dirty Airpods completely block any airflow to the inside of your ears once they have been put over your ears. MusicCritic got you covered by providing you tips on how to properly clean your AirPods.

Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to keep them clean and in great working condition but don’t know how to clean Airpods. Keep reading to learn how to clean AirPods the right way.

How to Clean AirPods: Different Methods to Try

There are a few different things you can try to get all the built-up gunk off about how to clean your AirPods. Fortunately, you should have most of these household items already in your house!

Here’s a closer look at how to clean Airpods and the different ways you can clean AirPods.

1. Cloth

The official recommendation from Apple is to use a soft, lint-free cloth to wipe down your AirPods. If you can remember to do this on a daily basis, this is a great option for keeping your AirPods clean.

However, if you aren’t used to cleaning your earbuds daily, a cloth might not be enough to effectively clear off all the built-up grime. In short, you can use a cloth for small touch-up cleanings, but it might not be enough for anything beyond that.

2. Cotton Swab

If you’re looking to really get into the nooks and crannies of your AirPods, you can try using a dry cotton swab. Like the cloth, it’s soft and won’t scratch or damage your earbuds.

And, it gives you the ability to wipe down the tight spaces on how to clean AirPods. However, as you use a cotton swab to clean the grill area of your headphones, make sure you don’t press too hard. Otherwise, you might be left with one AirPod not working.

3. Toothpick

If you’d like to really get in there and scrape out all the grime on your AirPods, consider using a toothpick. The sharp point is great for cleaning out the mesh on the speakers and getting out the hard-to-reach dirt.

Again, be cautious and don’t stick the toothpick into the speaker mesh, or you could do considerable damage to the device.

4. Toothbrush

Do you have a spare, unused toothbrush lying around? It could be the perfect tool to make cleaning your AirPods easier.

Try using a soft or medium bristle toothbrush to gently brush away dirt and grime that’s accumulated on your AirPods. But, be sure to brush lightly and keep the toothbrush stored away from your regular toothbrush so you don’t accidentally get them mixed up.

5. Isopropyl Alcohol

If wiping down your AirPods is not enough to do the trick, you can use a small amount of isopropyl alcohol to loosen up stubborn dirt on the earbuds.

You can use it in combination with the cotton swab or toothbrush methods for easy cleaning. Or, you can use one-time-use alcohol wipes to do the job. Remember, use caution anytime you use liquid to clean your AirPods, as you don’t want to damage them.

How to Clean AirPod Case?

Of course, it’s not only the AirPods or iPhone accessories themselves that get dirty. You’ll also need to clean their charging case on occasion. By cleaning the case, you’ll keep your AirPods cleaner as well.

Plus, regular maintenance of both the AirPods and the case will keep them working well for longer. Here’s a closer look at the different areas of the case you should clean.

Outside of the AirPod

Cleaning the outside of the charging case is fairly easy and can be done by using a soft, lint-free cloth. If your case is especially dirty, you can use a small amount of isopropyl alcohol or water to remove stuck-on grime.

However, if you do use liquid, make sure not to get any in the charging ports, which could damage the device.

Inside Top of the Case

Once you’ve cleaned the outside, open the case and clean the inside top. You can use a cotton swab to swipe around the grooves of the top to remove the dirt that has accumulated.

If the dirt is hard to reach, you might have more luck removing it with a toothpick.

Charging Ports

Finally, you’ll want to clean the charging ports to ensure that your AirPods can continue charging properly. But, you’ll need to use the most caution during this part of the cleaning process.

You cannot get any liquid in the charging ports, so don’t use water or isopropyl alcohol during this step. Instead, gently wipe the ports with a cotton swab to remove the surface layer of dirt and grime.

How Often Should You Clean Your AirPods?

Now that you have a good idea of how to keep AirPods clean, how often does it need to be done? The answer all depends on how much you use them.

If you use your AirPods daily, you should try to get in the habit of cleaning them once a week. For example, if you primarily use them while you work, you might set aside time on Friday afternoon, as the workweek winds down to clean them.

Use Few Times per Week

If you only use your AirPods a few times per week, you can probably get away with cleaning them only once or twice a month.

Remember, the more you clean them, the easier it’ll be to maintain over time. So, don’t let the grime build up too much between cleanings.

Now You Can Enjoy Your Music More

Now that you know about how to clean your AirPods, you’ll be able to enjoy your music more, with better sound quality. And, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’re taking good care of your investment.

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