How to Clean Wax off Your AirPods

AirPods are now the most popular earbuds on the market right now, particularly amongst most iPhone owners. But, like all other earbuds, they are susceptible to becoming dirty over time. Not only do AirPods become clogged with earwax, but they also collect dust and debrief from laying in your pockets or when they are placed on a surface.

The good news is that there are multiple ways of cleaning your AirPods. Whether by using an AirPods cleaning kit or employing DIY solutions, you can quickly get rid of that gross earwax from your AirPods without damaging them.

What Apple Suggests for Cleaning Wax From AirPods

Apple suggests using a dry cotton bud, soft-bristled brush, or a dry lint-free cloth to remove the wax and grime from the microphone and speaker meshes on the AirPods. For the AirPods pro, Apple recommends you remove the ear tips of the earphone and rise them with water without using any cleaning agents, such as soap.

According to Apple, you can eliminate bacteria that has found its way onto your AirPods by wiping the outside surface (except the speaker mesh) with a 70% isopropanol wipe or a Clorox disinfectant wipe. Avoid highly saturated wipes because you don’t want any solvent to seep inside the speaker mesh.

Use a Fun-Tak and a Toothpick to Get Rid of the Wax

If using a Clorox wipe or a cotton bud isn’t working for you, you can try an alternative solution such as using fun-taks and a toothpick. A fun-tak is a versatile adhesive that can stick to nearly any surface and is used as an alternative to tape and tacks.

The best part about this technique is that you can easily find both these items in your home, and they’ll get rid of the wax for you effectively.

Simply stretch and knead a tiny amount of Fun-Tak to warm it up. Then, push it a few times on the speaker to accumulate the wax and grime. Next, use a wooden toothpick to remove the stubborn particles lodged in the speaker’s hollow sides.

A wooden toothpick is sharp enough to pick off tiny particles of wax filth, and it’s a far safer option than using sharp metal items such as safety pins and unfolded staples, which can damage the plastic and the speaker mesh.

How to Clean the Charging Case

The charging case for your AirPods might be as disgusting as the earbuds themselves. The hinge region is particularly challenging to clean, and the case is notably bad at keeping dirt and grime out.

Due to the frequent compression created by opening and closing the case, it may become challenging to remove the wax. If a moist towel or toothbrush isn’t cutting it, follow the steps below:

• Grab a Q-tip and spritz it with isopropanol
• Work the Q-tip over the area where grime has accumulated
• Focus on the edges of the speaker
• Scrub the area patiently since wax takes some time to get rid off

Using a medium-bristle or firm-bristle brush is the only way to clean the hinge area of your Airpod’s case. You can wet the brush slightly to get rid of the stubborn gunk, which will help eliminate the dirt from each nook and cranny of the case.