01/02/2023
Nicole Newton

The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Your AirPods

Are your AirPods looking a bit rough? If you want your AirPods looking and sounding good as new, why not give them a good old clean! Here's everything you need to know about how to clean AirPods correctly, including how to clean each model and its case.

In this blog:

What you'll need

Before you get started on cleaning your dirty AirPods, you'll need to grab a few things. You won't need to go out and buy a special cleaning kit, as most of these items can be found around the house or can be found in your local supermarket.

Here's what you'll need:

  • Lint-free cloth
  • Microfiber cloth
  • Cotton swabs or a toothpick
  • 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes, 75% ethyl alcohol wipes or Clorox Disinfecting wipes (or just a bit of water!)
  • Detergent (for AirPods Max)
  • Soft bristle brush

If you can't find any of the above wipes, you can get by with water instead, but bear in mind that Apple recommends 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes.

Once you've collected the items you need, it's important that you follow the instructions below. There are certain parts of your AirPods that should not get wet with water or alcohol wipes, so don't go rogue now!

What you shouldn't use

Regardless of which AirPods you have, don't try to clean them with bleach, hydrogen peroxide or other cleaning products not outlined in this guide. Most cleaning products are extremely abrasive, so it's more than likely that using these would damage your AirPods.

Another highly used product is compressed air. Although you may think compressed air is a useful cleaning tool, it could damage your AirPods internal components.

Some people reach for Blu-tack to clean the mesh of the AirPods, however this can do more damage than good. By pushing the Blu-tack into your AirPods, you're essentially pushing the wax and dirt further into the mesh and could be left with bits of Blu-tack stuck in the mesh – leaving you more mess to clean.

It's also important to note that the mesh part of your AirPods shouldn't be cleaned with any alcohol or disinfecting wipes – this is a very delicate part of AirPods, so you don't want to be adding anything abrasive to this area.

How to clean AirPods

The best way to clean AirPods is as follows:

  1. Wipe down your AirPods with a dry, lint-free cloth.
  2. To clean sensitive spots, like the mesh on the microphones and speakers, scrub them with a dry cotton swab.
  3. If your AirPods have built up wax and dirt in hard to reach areas, try gently dislodging the gunk with a toothpick.
  4. Wash the exterior with your alcohol or disinfecting wipes (or a slightly damp microfiber cloth if you don't have the other options).
  5. Wipe them with a dry, lint-free cloth and you're done!

How to clean AirPods Pro

If you have AirPods Pro, the method of how to clean your AirPods will differ slightly, as they have removable ear tips. Here's how to clean AirPods Pro:

  1. Remove the ear tips and rinse them with water to remove any dirt or wax.
  2. Dry the tips with a lint-free cloth.
  3. Wipe down your AirPods with a dry, lint-free cloth.
  4. To clean sensitive spots, like the mesh on the microphones and speakers, scrub them with a dry cotton swab.
  5. If your AirPods have built up wax and dirt in hard to reach areas, try gently dislodging the gunk with a toothpick.
  6. Wash the exterior with your alcohol or disinfecting wipes (or a slightly damp microfiber cloth if you don't have the other options).
  7. When both the AirPods and the ear tips are thoroughly dry, place the ear tips back on your AirPods and you're done!

How to clean AirPods Max

Cleaning AirPods Max requires a different method too. As AirPods Max are headphones, there's more surface area to clean, so you'll need to set aside a bit more time to clean these. Here's how to clean AirPods Max:

  1. Wipe the headphones down with a slightly damp, lint-free cloth and dry them with another microfiber cloth.
  2. Remove the cushions from the ear cups.
  3. In a clean container, mix 1 tsp (5 ml) of liquid laundry detergent into 250 ml (1 cup) of water.
  4. When you clean the headband, hold your AirPods Max upside down to prevent liquid from flowing into the headband attachment point.
  5. Dip a lint-free cloth into the soapy water solution, wring it out slightly and rub the cloth on the cushions and headband gently for 1 minute each.
  6. Wipe the cushions and headband clean with a separate cloth that's slightly dampened with fresh water.
  7. Dry the cushions and headband with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, making sure you remove any excess moisture.
  8. Lay your AirPods Max flat to dry completely before reassembling them.

How to clean an AirPods case

Since you're cleaning your AirPods, why not go all out and clean up the case too? Here's how to clean AirPod cases:

  1. Remove the AirPods and use a dry lint-free cloth to wipe the outside of the case.
  2. If your case is extra dirty, you can use a cloth dampened with a bit of alcohol on tougher spots, but be sure to dry the spots afterwards with a microfiber cloth.
  3. To remove debris from the charging port, use a soft bristle brush (you can also use a toothpick to gently remove any clogs of dirt)

How Often Should You Clean Your AirPods?

While the gold standard is to clean your AirPods after every use, we know that's just not possible for everyone. Instead, try to clean your AirPods after every 72 hours of listening time.

If you want to ensure your AirPods will stay cleaner for longer, make sure you're keeping your ears clean, after all, your ears will be the main culprit in dirtying your AirPods to begin with!

Are your AirPods too dusty or damaged to save? Trade them in for cash towards new AirPods with musicMagpie! You buy new or refurbished AirPods at great prices on the musicMagpie Store. Get your hands on other Apple devices, including a refurbished iPhone or shop our refurbished phones. 

You can trade in phone for cash with us too. Check out our sell mobile phone and iPhone trade in pages for more info!

No related posts.