How to clean and care for your wireless earbuds
Wireless earbuds have become a must-have accessory in recent years, as smartphone manufacturers have done their level best to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack entirely. Unlike a few years ago, you won’t have to spend a lot to own a pair of wireless earbuds: there are plenty ofgood, cheap true wireless earbudsto choose from. But even inexpensive tech needs taken care of to go the distance.
We know you don’t want to break your favorite earbuds while cleaning them. To that end, we’ve put together the following tips to help you properly clean and care for your true wireless earbuds.
Before you get started
Before you clean your wireless earbuds, knowing what you shouldn’t do during this process is essential. A wrong move would be enough to ruin your earphones for good. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
It’s essential to follow these tips. Earbuds can be sensitive, so using the wrong method could destroy them. When you use the correct method, you’ll keep your earbuds in tip-top shape.
Your earbuds manufacturer will likely warn you to avoid using any form of liquid to clean them. Instead, they recommend using a clean microfiber cloth, which we also recommend. This works in most cases unless your earbuds are too dirty and clogged with dust.
How to clean your wireless earbuds
The best way to get all the grime and dirt off your wireless earbuds is to clean them thoroughly using a lightly dampened microfiber cloth. You don’t need to use a special liquid or soap solution to moisten the cloth. Regular tap water works just fine.
Before cleaning the ear tips, remove them from the earbuds. For that, do the following:
If the above steps don’t work, check the manual of your earbuds. Do not apply excessive pressure to any part of your earbuds, as you could risk damaging them permanently.
And that’s it! You can use moist cotton swabs to clean areas that require more precision. Earbuds that sit deep in your ear, like theSony WF-1000XM5or theAirPods Pro(yes, you canuse AirPods with your Android phone) tend to collect a lot of earwax over time that could muffle and lower their sound output. So, cleaning the grille-like section from where the audio comes out on the earbuds is crucial. A damp cloth or cotton swab remains your best option here.
Never poke the grille protecting the drivers of the earbuds with a sharp object. You could damage them permanently.
How to clean the hard-to-reach areas of your earbuds
You can use canned air or a manual air blaster (like the ones used for cleaning camera lenses) to get dust out of crevices that are not easily accessible with hand tools. They won’t work to remove the gunk stuck to the ear tips, though.
For more thorough cleaning, consider purchasing an earbud cleaning kit from a source like Amazon. These are usually cheap and contain several tools to remove all kinds of stubborn gunk and dirt. Kits include tools like fine-bristle brushes to clean hard-to-reach spots the charging points of your earbuds' carrying case, or earbud speaker grilles. There are also flocking sponges to clean the charging case. Remember not to use metal tools for cleaning any charging points, though, as that could lead to damage.
As a more extreme measure, consider using tape or putty to pull out debris from areas that are hard to reach. you may use Blu-Tack putty (or most any putty used for arts and crafts). It doesn’t leave any residue. Still, only use the putty in small quantities. If the ear tips of your earbuds are worn beyond use or are too dirty, get replacement tips from Amazon. Comply ear tips are famous for their comfort and fit, so you may consider upgrading to them.
Don’t spray compressed air from too close or at an angle. If there’s a lot of pressure, you could inadvertently damage the earbuds.
Cleaning the carrying case of your earbuds is easier than the earbuds. You can clean the exterior using a moist microfiber cloth. Depending on the design of the charging case, use a microfiber cloth or a cotton swab for the inside. Be gentle on the contact points, and don’t use sharp metallic objects or cleaning solutions to clean them.
How to keep your wireless earbuds clean
It is one thing to clean your earbuds and another to keep them clean. By following a few tips, you can keep your earbuds clean, ensuring you don’t have to clean them as regularly. This also helps extend their lifespan and keeps them looking like new for longer.
Certain earbud colors make dirt and debris more visible than others, but don’t wait until your earbuds are visibly dirty to give them a wipe-down. Regular, low-effort cleaning can help prevent (or at least delay) the need for more labor-intensive, in-depth cleaning.
The above cleaning tips are also applicable forwired USB-C earbuds.
How to extend the lifespan of your earbuds' battery
If you have a pair of premium earbuds that you use regularly, chances are their batteries will degrade after a year or two of use, noticeably decreasing their runtime.
Battery replacement is typically not an option with modern earbuds, as non-removable batteries allow manufacturers to fit more much into smaller spaces. Unlike smartphones, most wireless earphones do not feature any advanced software-based algorithm to extend the battery’s lifespan.
To ensure your current earbuds last a long time, you must take good care of the cells powering them. For this, you need to follow some basic battery maintenance tips.
The lithium-ion batteries inside earphones lose their capacity over time, and their runtime declines even after your best efforts. By following the above tips, you can extend their lifespan by at least a few months before you need to upgrade them.
How to dispose of your old wireless earbuds
You will, unfortunately, eventually have to dispose of your wireless earbuds. The batteries inside the earbuds will stop holding a charge or stop working one day. Whatever the case might be, when the day arrives and you are looking for a new pair of earbuds, it is important that you do away with your current pair the right way.
Do not throw them in the garbage, as the earbuds will end up in a landfill and take up space there effectively forever. Instead, drop them at an electronics recycling center (in the US, many Best Buy stores offer free e-waste recycling). If the are still working and you’re simply upgrading, consider donating or gifting your old earbuds so someone else can continue to enjoy them. Just be sure to give them a good cleaning first.
Take care of your earbuds and they’ll last longer
You can make your earbuds last longer and keep them clean by following the tips above. Even if you are unhappy with their sound quality or are looking for a change, you can always pass them on to your friends or family — that’s always better than throwing them away. As you upgrade, take a look at our picks for thebest wireless earbudson the market. Good stuff always lasts longer.
Now with your earbuds all squeaky clean, you can get back to using them — maybe bygetting the most out of your YouTube Music subscription. Or, if you carry your music locally, check out some newmusic players.
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