How to Clean AirPods and Charging Case: The Complete Guide

AirPods are without a doubt one of the best headphones available for Apple devices. They may sound great, but you must take proper care of them.

Dirt and wax can build up on your AirPods over time, resulting in degraded sound quality. The first step in caring for them is regular cleaning. This guide will show you some of the best ways to clean dirty AirPods or AirPods Pro without damaging them.

• Materials and Tools You Can Use to Clean Your AirPods
• How to clean AirPods
• Clean the ear tips of your AirPods
• Clean the charging case of your AirPods

Materials and Tools You Can Use to Clean Your AirPods

Some parts inside AirPods are fragile, so be careful what you use with AirPods Pro. If you’re wondering how to clean your AirPods, there are special tools you can use, and most of them should be available to you at your local store.

1. Napkin with 70% isopropyl alcohol
2. 75% ethyl alcohol wipe
3. Clorox disinfectant wipes
4. Cotton swabs
5. Soft, dry and lint-free fabric
6. Toothbrush
7. toothpicks

While you can use all of the AirPods Pro cleaners listed above, do not allow any liquid materials to come into direct contact with the AirPods Pro speaker mesh or completely submerge your AirPods in them. Also, don’t use bleach or hydrogen peroxide products. Finally, make sure your AirPods Pro’s holes don’t get wet.

How to clean AirPods and AirPods Pro

First, take your AirPods out of their case and remove their ear tips. Then do the following:

1. Take a cotton swab and apply a few drops of isopropyl alcohol.
2. Use a cotton swab to clean the surface of your AirPods.
3. Take a toothpick and clean the edges and small holes to scoop out the dirt and debris stuck inside.
4. Use a toothbrush to clean the speaker of small debris and dust.
5. Finally, wipe it with a lint-free cloth.

After cleaning your AirPods, set them aside for a while in a dry cloth. This will allow them to dry if excess moisture remains.

Clean your AirPods Pro ear tips.

AirPods Pro come with a detachable earcup design that helps provide a sealed seal for better noise cancellation. Keeping them clean is just as important as the rest of your AirPods Pro. Follow these instructions to learn how to clean your AirPods.

1. If you haven’t already, remove the ear tips from your AirPods Pro.
2. Rinse them under the tap with some water and let them drain a little.
3. Wipe the ear tips with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
4. Wait for the ear tips to dry completely before putting them back on your AirPods.

Once dry, you can reattach them to your AirPods. Make sure they make a clicking sound so you know they’ve bonded.

Clean the charging case of your AirPods

The charging case for your AirPods Pro protects and charges your AirPods at the same time; therefore, over time, dust, dirt and even scratches can accumulate on it. So it’s better to clean regularly. However, here’s how to clean your AirPods case.

1. Take a soft, dry, lint-free cloth and lightly dampen it with isopropyl alcohol.
2. Clean your AirPods charging case and let it dry a bit.
3. Use a cotton swab to clean the case and connectors, but be careful not to get it wet as this may damage the connectors. You can use a toothpick to get to places where a Q-tip can’t.
4. Take a toothpick to clean the case’s charging port with little to no pressure. However, you need to be very careful as it contains fragile electrical components.
5. Dry the cabinet with a damp towel if there is moisture left on the cabinet.

Do not use the charging case immediately as it may contain moisture. So it’s best to leave it open for a few hours and face down on a cloth that will absorb all the moisture.

FAQ

No, it would be better if you don’t submerge your AirPods underwater, as this will damage the internal parts of your AirPods, causing them to fail. However, you can wash the ear tips to clean them.

If you don’t clean your AirPods, it will eventually affect your ears. Earwax will build up, leading to ear pain, fungal infections, and other potential ear problems. In addition, the sound quality of your AirPods will also degrade over time, giving you an unpleasant listening experience.

I hope you can easily clean your dirty AirPods or AirPods Pro using the guide above. This helps maintain good hygiene, better sound quality, functionality and comfort in the long run.