AirPods and other similar wireless earbuds are an essential part of many modern routines. Your morning runs or gym time music, your office tunes, your late night grooves, and even Bluetooth telephone features could keep those AirPods in your ears 24/7 if not for the need to clean them and give your ears a break. Whether you just fished an AirPod out from under the car seat or have noticed an unsettling buildup in the pods sitting on your desk, you’ve come to the right place.

As cleaning professionals, we know personal device cleanliness matters. Here’s a quick, practical guide on how to clean AirPods and wireless earbuds.

AirPod Cleaning Supplies

• Isopropyl Alcohol
• 2 Microfibre cloths
  • or paper towels
• Toothpick
  • Or similar slender fine-pointed item
• Cotton swabs
• Nail brush
  • Or clean flat-tipped paintbrush
  • Or soft clean toothbrush

Always start with your cleaning supplies. To clean AirPods and wireless earbuds, you’ll want rubbing alcohol, a small pick, cleaning cloths, swabs, and a soft, clean brush.

How to Clean Off Dirty AirPods

1. Damp cloth with alcohol
2. Wipe outside of AirPods
3. Dry outside of AirPods

Let’s start with the outside of the AirPod. if you have a dusty or crud-covered AirPod, or an AirPod that just fell into your open-face sandwich, how do you clean it?

Cleaning wireless earbuds on the outside is easy. Take your microfibre cloth and damp it with a little isopropyl alcohol – which dries really fast. Wipe down the outside of your earbuds. Then dry them with the dry microfibre cloth.

How to Clean Earwax Out of AirPods

1. Scrape out the built-up wax
2. Remove and rinse silicone ear tips
3. Damp a swab in alcohol
4. Gently spin swab inside the earpiece

Earwax will constantly build up inside Airpods and wireless earbuds. Whether you have a hard or soft silicone earpiece, you will want to clean this aperture regularly. With your small pick item; a toothpick, pin, or cuticle tool will all do fine; scrape out the earwax and wipe it on a paper towel. Be careful not to pierce the speaker inside the AirPod.

For silicone eartips, they can be gently pulled off and rinsed in warm water. Dry completely, then re-align the tip and press it firmly back into place.

You can also clean the entire earpiece with a cotton swab. Dip the swap in isopropyl, then blot it on a cloth or paper towel. Then carefully clean out the inside of your earbud where the wax builds up. A gentle spinning motion with the swab can get the best results.

How to Clean Your AirPod Case

1. Damp a microfibre cloth
2. Wipe the outside of the case
3. Wipe the inside of the case
4. Damp and blot a swab
5. Swab the electrical connections and gaps
6. Brush dust from ports and holes

To clean the charging case for your AirPods or wireless earbuds, you’ll want both cloths, the alcohol, and your soft brush. Start by damping a cloth in alcohol and wipe down the outside of the case. Then open the case and gently wipe down the inner pieces.

You can use a blotted alcohol swab to clean the electric connections and small holes.

If you notice crud in the port or case holes, use your small, soft, clean brush to gently brush out the crumbs or dust. You can use a clean soft toothbrush, a flat-tipped clean paintbrush, a nail brush, or even a fresh makeup brush to dust out your AirPods case.

Wipe the entire case down with the dry cloth and let it sit for a few minutes before plugging in or returning the AirPods to charge.

Regional Services Electronics Cleaning Pros

Keeping your AirPods and their case clean is easier than it sounds. While those little earbuds can escape into some pretty dusty regions, a little rubbing alcohol and a quick wipe will soon have them dust-free, wax-free, and ready to play more hours of endless personal music and podcasts. For more professional cleaning tips to handle your electronics and office supplies with care, contact us today.