With regular use of headphones, dirt accumulates on the surface of the headset and the case, which affects the appearance and sound of the device. How to clean Airpods at home correctly so as not to break them is a problem for many users.
In this article, we will study in detail the issue of cleaning headphones from an iPhone, consider various ways to get rid of dirt, and learn tips for caring for headphones.
Why do iPhone headphones get clogged and what does it affect?
One way or another, wax accumulates in the human ear. No matter how you clean your ears or how often you use your headphones, wax will still end up on the mesh. In addition, dust particles periodically fall on the film.
Important! The habit of putting headphones in a jacket or bag pocket can also lead to unexpected clogging of the speaker. Earwax and foreign contaminants clog the headset, preventing the owner of the device from fully enjoying listening to music.
The sound becomes quieter by several orders of magnitude, the bass disappears, and detail decreases. These factors force many people to go to the store to spend money on new headphones. Luckily, however, there are effective ways to clean your headset and restore its sound to its original level.
In most cases, the biggest challenge in cleaning Airdos is the mesh on the membrane. But if you do not promptly clean your headphones from minor dirt, then after a while they will become completely clogged, the wax will dry completely, and then you will only have to take the device for repair!
Have you ever cleaned your iPhone headphones (AirPods)?
Not really
When should you clean?
To keep any headphones (including AirPods) in good working order, experts recommend cleaning them at least once a month.
A sufficient preventive measure for cleaning, carried out once a week, is to wipe the surface of the lid with a soft cloth and remove wax on the mesh using a cotton swab. Every two or three weeks, it is imperative to clean all surfaces of the device from dirt and earwax. It is also recommended to blow off any dust that settles in the microphone hole.
Reference! According to Apple, if AirPods are exposed to soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, perfume, solvent, detergent, food, bug repellent, sunscreen, oil, or hair dye, you should clean them immediately.
These products may have a negative impact on the acoustic film and water resistance of your iPhone headphones.
Cleaning AirPods and AirPods Pro
- Do not rinse AirPods or AirPods Pro under water.
- Use a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
- If your AirPods or AirPods Pro are exposed to substances that may cause stains or other damage, such as soaps, shampoos, hair products, lotions, perfumes, solvents, cleansers, acids or products containing acids, insect repellents, sunscreens, vegetable oils or hair dyes, follow the steps below. Wipe them clean with a cloth lightly dampened with clean water and dry with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
- Let them dry completely before placing them in the charging case.
- Do not use the headphones until they are completely dry.
Cleaning the AirPods and AirPods Pro Case
Clean the charging case with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. If necessary, you can lightly dampen the cloth with isopropyl alcohol. Let the charging case dry. Make sure there is no liquid in the charging ports. Here are some more recommendations. Remove dirt from the Lightning connector with a clean, dry, soft brush. When cleaning the charging case, do not use abrasive materials. To avoid damaging the metal contacts, do not place anything into the charging ports.
Cleaning the AirPods Pro earbuds
If water has accumulated in the earbud, tap your AirPods on a soft, dry, lint-free cloth with the earbud facing down to remove the water. Remove the earbuds from each AirPod and rinse the earbuds under water. Do not use soap or other household cleaners. Wipe the earbuds with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Make sure the earbuds are dry before putting them back on your AirPods. Install earbuds on each AirPod. They are oval shaped, so place them the way you want.
What is needed for the procedure?
To clean the headphones themselves and the case (depending on the method) you will need:
- hydrogen peroxide;
- vinegar;
- insulating tape;
- scissors;
- wipes made of microfiber (they are required to remove dirt from the surface of the case);
- cotton swabs (ordinary swabs that do not have dense cotton wool are most suitable for the task at hand);
- cotton pads;
- toothpicks;
- Toothbrush.
These tools can restore your headphones and case to their original appearance.
Instructions
The presence of wax in the mesh can affect the appearance of the headphones and even the sound quality. To clean, use a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide. You can also use a soft toothbrush and toothpicks.
To clean your headphones, you need to:
- Make sure the device is disconnected from the phone.
- Clean the microphone hole and speaker grill with a dry cotton swab or cotton pad. For best results, the speaker grille can also be cleaned with a dry toothbrush or brush. Please note that the toothbrush must be soft.
It is important to know! If the sulfur is clogged very deeply, and even dried out, then you will have to remove the screens and clean underneath them. If you have no experience in such work, then to avoid damage, it is better to contact a service center for this.
Dirt that accumulates on the edges of plastic seams and grilles can be cleaned with toothpicks. For minor contamination this may be sufficient. If the speaker grill is very dirty, then we move on to the next step.
To clean the device from serious external contaminants, the following is usually used:
- hydrogen peroxide,
- formic alcohol,
- chlorhexidine,
- detergent.
Hydrogen peroxide works well to remove all contaminants that have become ingrained into the body. Formic alcohol can also be used externally, but it is more aggressive than peroxide. Chlorhexidine has an antimicrobial effect, perfectly fights germs and removes dirt.
Using hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and washing powder
Once you have decided on the choice of liquid to clean your device, you can proceed directly to the process itself.
Good to know! If you decide to use detergent to clean your white headphones, you should mix it with water in the following proportions: 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of liquid detergent to 1 cup (250 milliliters) of water.
The cleaning process requires maximum precision of movements. Apple Earpods do not come with detachable accessories. The speaker has a very small output hole. It is covered with a tiny mesh, firmly mounted in a plastic casing.
Recommendations for carrying out such work at home are as follows:
- The cotton swabs used should not be wet. A large amount of liquid, if ingested, can cause structural destruction.
- Each earphone should be wiped with the grille facing down. Likewise, the likelihood of moisture getting inside the structure is reduced.
It is worth considering that the device cannot be disassembled; the headphones are not repairable. Therefore, it is impossible to clean the inside of Airpods. This is due to the fact that the individual parts are attached using special glue.
Hydrogen peroxide
My experience shows that hydrogen peroxide does a good job of removing all contaminants ingrained into the body. For the internal parts there are other more effective means, but for the external parts (wires, arms, body) I only use peroxide.
If the headphones are white and have already turned not even gray, but yellow, I moisten them with peroxide using cotton pads and leave them wet for 10-20 minutes. After that, I wipe them first with a slightly damp and then with a dry cotton pad. In most cases this is more than enough.
It's even easier with black ones. In principle, dirt is practically invisible on them, and after peroxide they will even shine.
How to clean the case?
In the case of wireless headphones, the Charging Case is not just a convenient accessory for storing the headset, but also a charger. Therefore, you should also clean the airpods case from dust, dirt and wax. The cleaning process is almost the same as with the headset itself.
The manufacturer recommends using a microfiber cloth to clean the charging case, which can be moistened with isopropyl alcohol. After cleaning, it is very important to ensure that no liquid gets into the charging port.
The inner surface of the case is cleaned using ear swabs and cotton pads. However, if the dirt is really strong, you can use a soft toothbrush. In some hard-to-reach places, for example, under the edge of the lid, use a toothpick.
Here are some more recommendations.
- Remove dirt from the Lightning connector with a clean, dry, soft brush.
- Do not use abrasive materials when cleaning the charger.
- To avoid damaging the metal contacts, do not place anything on the charging port.
There are also other proven methods, let’s look at them in more detail.
Vinegar solution
It is necessary to mix vinegar with water in a ratio of one to one, moisten a cotton swab with the resulting solution and wipe the contaminated area. It is very important to wring out the tampon first; under no circumstances should liquid penetrate the cover.
Instead of a stick, you can soak a soft toothbrush in the vinegar solution and brush with it, also remembering to wring it out first. It is necessary to remove dust and lint from the contacts as thoroughly as possible so that the headset charges faster and also prevents short circuits.
Vinegar will help not only when cleaning the headphone case, but also when cleaning the microwave, washing machine, and washing the refrigerator.
Using electrical tape
This method is good for getting rid of accumulated dust, dirt and lint. It is necessary to cut the tape into pieces (2-3 centimeters) and stick them to the contaminated area.
Advice! Where there are grooves and indentations (for example, along the contour where the lid is connected to the body), you need to press the tape as tightly as possible with a toothpick. Now the tape can be removed, and most of the dirt will fall off with it.
Afterwards, you should go over it with a cotton pad or swab, not forgetting to clean the contacts. This method is especially effective for accessing hard-to-reach places.
You will find 13 effective recipes on how to clean dirt from a silicone phone case in this article.
Ear sticks
For some reason, many sites on the Internet write that sulfur and other relatively large debris from hard-to-reach areas of the headphones should be removed using toothpicks. I think this is complete nonsense. Using a toothpick can damage the membrane and other parts of the headphones, so I recommend either being as careful as possible when doing this, or giving preference to ear sticks.
Ear sticks are even quite suitable for removing wax from the inside of EarPods or AirPods where the protective mesh is located. And their soft “tips” will help avoid damage.
Ear sticks are suitable for any hard-to-reach and internal parts of earbuds, in-ear and on-ear headphones. If the dirt is old and dried, you need to moisten them in one of the solutions that I will talk about later.
How to avoid skin irritation?
Some tips on how to avoid skin irritation, especially if you have allergies or sensitivities:
- Use the correct size AirPods Pro.
- After exercising with AirPods, or after exposing your device to liquids that may irritate your skin (such as sweat, soap, shampoo, cosmetics, sunscreen, or lotion), you should clean and dry your device.
- If you have allergies or hypersensitivity to certain substances, you should clean the device with a liquid that does not contain components that are harmful to you.
Do you experience irritation from headphones?
Not really
Effective Method No. 2: Blu-tack
This is the name of a mass similar to plasticine, but drier and not sticky. It is available and inexpensive. This is a reusable dry glue. Crush a small piece of blue-tac (or similar) in your hands and press it onto the surface of the headphones. All microscopic particles will stick to this magical piece, like a magnet. Repeat the operation several times to completely clean the device, but, as already mentioned, without applying excessive pressure.
Is it possible to break headphones during the procedure?
The headphones should be cleaned very carefully, as incorrect actions can lead to damage. Firstly, although the model is considered foldable, it is quite difficult to put it back together.
The manufacturer decided to protect the device from liquids by depriving the headset of an open latch. If necessary, the speaker head can be opened, but only with a knife or scalpel.
Reassembly will only be of high quality when you glue the removed cover back on. Therefore, do not disassemble your in-ear headphones unless absolutely necessary.
Secondly, the mesh on the speaker is easily damaged, so you need to act correctly and carefully.
Just remember to never use water and be very careful with other liquids. Additionally, you should be very careful with the items you use for cleaning.
For example, never use any sharp or metal objects. Thus, you can not only damage the protective mesh, but also damage the membrane.
Important! If you don’t want to go to a service center, but want to do everything yourself, you can buy a special headphone cleaning kit. It will allow you to thoroughly and safely get rid of contaminants, and its cost usually does not exceed 100 rubles.
Can the headphones be washed or washed?
AirPods are water-resistant, but not waterproof. The wireless charging case for the headphones is not waterproof, so be careful not to let liquids get into the opening. If liquid gets in, turn the case upside down and open the lid to dry it out.
AirPods (first or second generation), charging cases, AirPods Max, and Smart Protective Cases are not waterproof, so be careful not to let liquids get into any openings.
Important! If the headphones get wet (including sweat during exercise), wipe them with a dry microfiber cloth.
Rescue of drowned people
Here, as with a person, delay is like death. Naturally, you will need to carry out resuscitation, which consists of the following:
- The headset should be removed from the water immediately. Immediately remove the plug from the socket.
- Point the holes of the headphones towards the ground and shake out the water using sharp movements. The main thing is not to overdo it, so that other problems besides water in the headphones do not appear. Wipe off any remaining moisture with a napkin. Or any other material, the main thing is that it absorbs moisture well.
- Don't forget that no matter how hard you try, there will still be moisture inside. It will need to be dried.
How to get rid of heavy dirt?
In-ear headphones that are very dirty will be difficult to clean using the standard method described earlier. The use of cotton swabs is only suitable in cases where the speaker mesh is only slightly dirty. If there is too much dirt on the surface, you will have to turn to another option.
In this case, we will need hydrogen peroxide, which is sold in any pharmacy. This liquid can quickly break down earwax and other types of dirt. But you should remember that in-ear headphones are not protected from moisture, so you need to perform the process very carefully and carefully.
To clean a heavily soiled device, follow the algorithm:
- Pour a little peroxide (4-5 mm) into the cap of a plastic bottle.
- Place one or two headphones into the cork so that the speaker mesh is immersed in the liquid.
- Wait 10-15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the EarPods and wipe the mesh with a dry cotton swab.
Practice shows that following these recommendations can eliminate 90-100% of contamination.
Video instruction
The video below shows the process of cleaning the included iPhone headphones and bleaching the connecting wire. After viewing it, you can clearly see the effectiveness of the described methods and preliminary evaluate the result obtained.
If a smartphone is used long enough and actively, users begin to encounter problems with headphones or headsets not functioning properly. How to clean the headphone jack on Phone 5 or 4? After all, there are times when these parts completely refuse to work or it happens that the sound periodically turns on on its own. But don’t worry, some of these problems can be fixed yourself with simple cleaning; it’s not at all difficult to do.
Before you start cleaning the headphone jack on your Phone 5 or iPhone 4, it is worth taking into account that the entire procedure must be carried out with extreme caution. You must try not to damage the port itself and the fragile parts that are located next to it. Use only recommended products for cleaning
don't forget to turn off your phone before starting work
And for cleaning, use only recommended products. Don't forget to turn off your phone before starting work.
Attention!!! We are not responsible for your actions. If you are not sure of the final result, then contact your nearest phone repair service center for help.
How to disinfect?
To disinfect your headphones, use the same substance that you use to clean heavy dirt. In this case we are talking about hydrogen peroxide. Soak a cotton pad in the liquid and then gently apply it to the wire components and headphone housing.
Attention! Make sure that peroxide does not penetrate the EarPods control. In this case, the accessory may fail. Chlorhexidine can also be an excellent alternative to peroxide.
Care Tips
To ensure that your headphones work flawlessly for as long as possible, you need to follow these simple tips:
- regularly clean the meshes on the speakers;
- store the earbuds in a closed case to prevent them from collecting dust;
- Avoid contact of the gadget with water and other liquids.
Before you begin preventive procedures, you must ensure that the device is disconnected from the gadget. For wired headphones, disconnect the plug from the connector.
We looked at popular methods for cleaning your headset and case, answered frequently asked questions, and gave recommendations for caring for your iPhone headphones. No matter how often you wash your ears, it will not help, and your Apple Airpods wireless headphones will still get dirty.
The main rule is regular, proper and high-quality cleaning of the device. If you follow this, the headphones will serve you for a long time, and the clear sound will allow you to enjoy.
If water gets into the connector
As worldly wisdom says, after a falling earphone, the phone itself flies into the water. If you pull it out in time, nothing will happen to it, but there will already be water inside the connector. We are taking rescue measures:
- If the headphones fall into the water along with the main device, then immediately pull it out of the water and remove the battery, and turn off the headphones themselves.
- We brush away large drops of water. We wipe off the rest.
- We dry the device for at least three days, without turning it on or inserting the battery. Dry the remaining moisture from the connector with a hairdryer.
- Water deposits may remain in the connector. To remove it we use alcohol. Soak a piece of bandage in alcohol and wipe it.
- Once the alcohol treatment is completed, let it dry again.
When all stages of resuscitation are safely completed, you can insert the battery into the device. If nothing bad happened to the contacts located in the connection connector, then you will hear sound.
Sources
- https://www.orgtech.info/kak-pochistit-airpods/
- https://i-Air.ru/control/kak-pochistit.html
- https://teleconom.ru/advice/kak-pochistit-airpods.html
- https://tvoy-otvet4ik.ru/legko-pochistit-naushniki/
- https://setafi.com/elektronika/naushniki/postiral-naushniki-chto-delat/
- https://stiralkainfo.ru/stirka/postirali-naushniki-v-stiralnoj-mashine.html
