How to clean headphones and earbuds without damaging them

Our everyday consumer tech devices can go through more wear and tear than the car you drive to work every day. But especially, due to their regular proximity to gross human body parts like our ears, hair and skin, our headphones and earbuds are at a disadvantage when it comes to sticking to earwax, oil, sweat and nasty bacteria. She comes. Them. Luckily, these wearable products aren’t too difficult to clean, but you have to take extra precautions when doing so.

While modern headphones and earbuds are tough enough, with many of them offering protection from water, dirt, and dust, cleaning them can be a delicate task, and one wrong move can quickly ruin your audio. Still don’t panic! As experts on all things AV, we’ve put together this guide to teach you how to properly clean your headphones and earbuds without damaging them.

How to clean your headphones

Like any good piece of consumer tech, your everyday headphones will need some TLC to feel and operate good right out of the box. Cleaning your headphones – and by this we mean the over-the-ear or over-the-ear variety – will also help reduce any skin oil, dust and bacteria thriving on your earpads and headband. So let’s grab our tools and get to work!

step 1: Many headphones from big companies like Bose and Sony have removable earpads. If your pads fall into that category, go ahead and carefully remove each pad, then fully extend them. headphones, Doing this will ensure that you are able to see every part of the device.

step 2: Now that the drivers are exposed, use a soft-bristle toothbrush to remove any dirt and debris that has accumulated on and around the speakers. If you have a rocket blower or can compressed air Conveniently, you can use any of these products to remove dirt and grime.

step 3: If there are any unruly hairs stuck to the body of the drivers, use tweezers to pull them out.

step 4: Dip a Q-tip in isopropyl alcohol and carefully dab it into the various corners and crevices of your headphones, being extra careful towards the drivers. If you are worried about any liquid getting into the speaker, you can keep it headphones At an angle of 90 degrees (with the driver looking downwards). This way the excess alcohol will be removed headphones,

Step 5: Many headphone earpads are made of some type of leather or vinyl-covered cushioning. To clean these, we recommend wiping them down with a antibacterial wipe, while using a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to get into any seams or crevices. Alternatively, you can also use a washcloth soaked in warm, soapy water instead of antibacterial wipes.

Step 6: Before reattaching the earpads, use a dry cloth to remove excess moisture.

How to clean your earbuds

Cleaning your earbuds can be a little more complicated than wiping down your over-ear headphones, but it mainly depends on what type of earbuds you’re using. Many earbuds have removable silicone eartips that can become clogged with earwax, dirt, pocket lint, and other nasty stuff. For this guide, we’ll be cleaning the AirPods Pro 2 (we also have a more in-depth post on cleaning all of Apple’s AirPods), although most of the following steps can be applied to any set of wired or wireless earbuds. Is.

step 1: Start by gently removing the silicone eartips. The AirPods Pro eartips require only a slight pull to separate from the main body, and most of the earbuds are the same.

step 2: To clean those eartips, you can either soak them in warm soapy water, or dip a Q-tip in some isopropyl alcohol and use a cotton swab to clean both the interior and exterior of the eartips .

step 3: The hardest part of earbud cleaning is removing the dirt accumulated in your speaker grills and air vents. To get started, try using a rocket blower or a can of compressed air to remove some of the worst dirt.

step 4: Your next cleaning tool should be a wooden toothpick. As gently as possible, use the pick to work around the edges of the grilles and venting.

Step 5: Use a Q-tip dipped in a little alcohol to pick up any debris left on the grill and venting surfaces.

Step 6: Fill another Q-tip with alcohol and dab it on the body of each earbud.

Step 7: The charging case of your earbuds may also be full of bad stuff. If you still have that rocket blower or compressed air available, use them to blow out all the nooks and crannies of the case’s interior.

Step 8: It’s Q-Tip time again! Take a cotton swab dipped in alcohol and dab it on the inside of the case. Take some extra caution around the metal-pin contacts that allow your earbuds to charge inside the case.

How often should you clean your headphones or earbuds?

It doesn’t take much for your headphones and earbuds to accumulate dirt, but regular maintenance can help improve both comfort and performance. We recommend your cleaning headphones And earbuds once per week, especially if you’re using them at the gym or as part of your daily commute or workflow.

help! My headphones or earbuds are beyond cleaning

Sometimes you do everything you can and your headphones and earbuds still look and feel dirty. There’s nothing to worry about, however, as most manufacturers offer replacement earpads and eartips. If you’re in a situation where you need to replace them, it’s probably a good idea to pick up more than one replacement set at a time, just in case you find you need another earpad or eartip.