Those pearly white earbuds aren’t so white anymore? Looking at earbuds crusted in earwax isn’t the prettiest of sights. Luckily, cleaning earbuds is quite simple. The only problem is that when you google ‘how to clean earbuds’, you often get some… questionable advice. A few years ago sucking on your earbuds to clean them was quite popular.
And no, we’re not making it up. Haven’t heard of it? We won’t go into the details and just say not to do it. It’s gross and doesn’t clean the earbuds properly. And cleaning your earbuds with regular methods takes about 5 minutes, so there’s no reason to opt for sucking on them. So, let’s explain how to clean earbuds in 3 simple steps, but first, we’ll explain why you should do it.
The Reasons You Should Clean Earbuds
There are a few reasons, but it boils down to the fact that cleaning earbuds is hygienic, it lets the earbuds last longer, and you can actually get better sound. The build-up of earwax inside the earbuds can muffle the sound to an extent and can potentially damage the electronics over the long term.
But more importantly, cleaning earbuds can prevent ear infections. While not very common, wearing earbuds regularly can contribute to infections. Bacteria can grow on the earwax crusted on the earbuds, so when you wear them it spread the bacteria to your ear canal which can infect your ear. A quick clean will kill the bacteria so it’s highly recommended you do it.
How To Clean Earbuds in 3 Steps
What You’ll Need
You can use the items you have lying around your house or you can buy professional cleaning tools, but there’s usually no need. In any case, you should prepare:
- A toothbrush, preferably one with soft bristles. On the other hand, you can buy an earbuds cleaning tool (sometimes called wax loops or wax whackers, with one side of the tool having bristles and the other side having a metal or plastic loop). But, there’s no need to buy an earbuds cleaning tool if you don’t have one on hand, as a toothbrush does the job.
- A soft or microfiber cloth, like you would use for cleaning glasses.
- A cotton swab.
- Dish soap diluted in water.
- Rubbing alcohol.
Wait For the Wax To Cool Off
Once you have your things ready, make sure you let the wax on the earbuds cool before you start cleaning them. So, don’t charge them or use them for an hour or two. If the earbuds are warm, the wax will be gooey and soft and you won’t be able to get it out properly. If the wax is cold, it’ll come out in small chunks more easily.
Clean
If your earbuds have wires, unplug them. Then remove the ear tips. Start with the toothbrush and turn the earbuds towards the ground. This will let gravity pull out the gunk as you loosen it. Otherwise, it may get stuck inside the speaker.
Clean the insides with the toothbrush, but use slow, gentle strokes. The aim is to loosen anything stuck to the earbuds, not brush it clean. Small chunks should be falling out, but don’t expect to see too much debris as you brush, especially if you clean your earbuds regularly.
Dip your cloth in the soapy water and use it to clean the ear tips. Use a dry cloth to wipe the tips off and let them fully dry before you put them back on.
Finally, dip the cotton swab in the rubbing alcohol. Shake it off so that the swab isn’t soaked. Use the rubbing alcohol on the swab to clean the grill and the surrounding area. This step is the most important one as the alcohol will kill any potential bacteria that has started to fester.
Once you are done with the swab, glide your finger over the earbuds. The surface should have a clean, smooth feel to it and the swab should be stained. If you clean the earbuds regularly, the swab won’t be stained too much, but you should still see some discoloration. If you don’t, you either didn’t clean it properly or don’t need to clean the earbuds as often.
Cleaning True Wireless Earbuds
If you have true wireless earbuds with a charging case, like the NeoPodz, you should go a step further and clean the case and connectors. This has nothing to do with hygiene, but earwax or dust can build up on the charging pins and cause the earbuds not to charge properly.
Use another swab dipped in rubbing alcohol (once again, make sure it’s not soaked and dripping) to clean the pins of the charging case and the connectors. You can also simply use a dry cloth to wipe everything, but the alcohol swab does a better job.
How Often Should You Clean Your Earbuds?
There’s no exact rule for how often you should clean your earbuds. In essence, clean them as often as it’s needed. If you see visible stains, fingerprints, dust, etc., clean them. Otherwise, it will depend on how often you wear them and what you do while wearing them.
If these are your workout earbuds, then it’s recommended you at least wipe them down after every workout. You don’t need to do a thorough cleaning, but wiping with a dry cloth can’t hurt, especially if you tend to sweat a lot during your workouts.
For everyday earbuds, cleaning them about once a week should be enough. If they are your sleeping earbuds then maybe you could do it twice a week. We sweat during sleep and the earwax accumulates, so putting in a bit more effort into cleaning them is recommended.
Storing Earbuds So They Are Clean Longer and Last Longer
You can simply store true wireless earbuds in the charging case they come with. Earbuds with cables can be stored in the box they came with or, if you don’t have it, put them in a small bag so dust doesn’t accumulate.
Just make sure you don’t store your earbuds in a hot or humid environment for a long time, especially if they have batteries. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can damage the electronics and batteries, like if you were to forget the earbuds in your car during summer. The same goes for very humid environments, even if the earbuds are waterproof.
The Short of It
So, how to clean earbuds? It’s easy - you only need some cloth, a swab, rubbing alcohol, dish soap, a toothbrush, and 5 minutes to keep your earbuds clean. And regularly cleaning them will help them work longer and better, and prevent ear infections. So there’s really no reason not to clean your earbuds.
