How to Clean AirPods

This article provides instructions for safely cleaning your Apple Airpods, including removing earwax in AirPods and information on how often you should clean them.

How to Clean Your AirPods

Your AirPods may get gunky and dirty if you use them regularly, and this could reduce the sound quality you get when using them. To clean them, Apple has a recommended method for cleaning AirPods that includes: wiping with a slightly dampened, lint-free cloth or a Clorox wipe and then dry them with a dry lint-free cloth.

Be very careful during this process not to get water into any of the holes in the AirPods because although AirPods Pro are water-resistant, they are not waterproof. If water gets inside an AirPod, it could cause damage.

If you need to clean the charging case for your AirPods, you can repeat the same process, using a slightly damp, lint-free cloth first, followed by a dry lint-free cloth. If there are stains or stubborn dirt on the outside of the AirPods case, you can use a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cloth to remove it, but again, use caution to prevent getting any liquid inside the AirPods.

To clean the external charging port (where the cable connects to your AirPods case), you can use a soft, dry brush to brush away any debris which may have collected in the port.

If you're clearing your AirPods Pro, you can remove the ear tips, rinse them under clean water, and wipe the rest of the AirPod using the method listed here. Be sure to dry the ear tips completely before aligning them and snapping them back into place.

How to Remove Earwax in AirPods

If earwax is a problem in your AirPods, Apple recommends using a dry Q-Tip to brush any dirt or wax out of the speaker port on your AirPods. Unfortunately, this method might not remove the ear wax. Therefore it's necessary to find another way to clean them.

Using a small toothpick, you can gently scrape the ear wax from around the edges of the speaker port on your AirPods. Don't stick the toothpick into the holes in the speaker cover, as this could damage the speaker.

Instead, if you have stubborn earwax or debris stuck to the speaker cover, one thing you can try is to use Fun-Tak, a removable mounting putty, to pull the debris through the speaker cover. To do that, knead the putty until it's pliable, then gently press it onto the speaker opening. When you pull it away, debris will stick in the putty. Repeat the knead and press actions as often as necessary to clean the loose earwax and debris from your AirPods.

What If I Can't Get My AirPods Clean?

If you've gotten your AirPods so gunked up that it's impossible to get them clean without the risk of ruining them, there is one other option. You can use PodSwap, which will take your old AirPods and swap them out for refurbished ones for a fee. This service is handy if your AirPods also have super low battery life.