Dirty Wireless Earbuds and AirPods Can Harbor Bacteria. Here's How to Clean Them

My new Beats Studio Pro headphones are never more than 10 feet away from me. I’m not exaggerating. I literally take them everywhere with me — and that means they go through a lot each day. I listen to music at the gym and during my morning walk. I stream podcasts when I walk my dog four times a day. I dive into an audiobook when I’m shopping at the grocery store, walking in the airport or doing chores. Because I get so much mileage out of my Beats, I have to clean them regularly. 

AirPods or other wireless earbuds — from Beats to Bose to JBL and more — collect dirt, debris, earwax and bacteria every time you pop them in your ears. Over time, this buildup can impair the audio quality of your headphones, but on a more serious note, it can also transfer bacteria into your ear canal and cause a nasty infection. Simply cleaning your AirPods and other wireless headphones can prevent this. You’ll want to make sure you’re doing it the right way, though, so as not to damage your several-hundred-dollar headphones. Here’s how. 

Read more: You can find the best AirPods deals here. 

How to clean your AirPods

Apple has suggested a few methods for cleaning your AirPods. This easiest is simply using a disinfecting or alcohol wipe to clean the exterior surface. Just make sure to not use the wipe on the mesh speaker part and to dry the buds completely with a clean cloth before popping them back into your ears. Since alcohol dries quickly, you shouldn’t need to wait more than 60 seconds or so.

For the microphone and speaker meshes, we recommend you use a dry cotton swab and a soft-bristled brush to gently wipe away dirt. Don’t press too hard, though, since you could push the wax through the mesh and it would be nearly impossible to remove it then. 

CNET Insider bonus: CNET senior editor Matt Elliott also suggests using Fun-Tak to remove any stubborn earwax that’s leftover after your initial wipe down. He instructs that you rub the Fun-Tak together to warm it up and then press it against the speaker. Then, you can use a wooden toothpick to scrape off anything stuck to the sides of the speaker hollow.

How to clean wireless earbuds with removable silicone tips

Cleaning wireless earbuds with detachable silicone tips, like the AirPods Pro or JBL Reflect Flow Pro, is simpler due to the protective nature of the tips. The silicone shields the speaker from dirt, earwax and debris, so it never gets too grimy. The tips can be removed for easy cleaning. 

Just detach the silicone tips from the earphones and soak them in warm, soapy water for about 30 minutes. For stubborn stains, you can agitate the container to loosen up the gunk. Once clean, use a soft cloth or cotton swab to wipe away any remaining earwax or dirt and set aside the silicone tips to air dry completely.

If your earbuds don’t come with silicone tips, you can purchase them separately from sources like Amazon. We recommend these affordable $13 ear tips that can be attached to standard AirPods. 

How to clean over-ear wireless headphones

I can’t go one day without seeing those trendy over-the-ear wireless headphones, like the Apple AirPods Max or Beats Studio Pro. And I’m not mad about it — they’re super stylish — and I even sport my own pair day-in and day-out. But they take a bit more time to clean.

Like other headphones, you should never run them under water, use abrasive tools or get liquids in any openings. The best method is to wipe down the headband portion with a disinfectant wipe and to pop the removed cushions into a container with a mixture of one teaspoon liquid laundry detergent and one cup of tepid water. After soaking, wipe the ear cushions and headband thoroughly with a clean cloth to dry. Then, lay the headphones flat to dry for at least a day before you reattach the cushions and use them again.

Don’t forget your charging case

Yes, your charging case gets grimy too. And it doesn’t make much sense to go through the effort of cleaning your earbuds only to return them to a dirty charging case. 

To clean the case, use a dry, lint-free cloth to wipe away any visible dirt. You can slightly dampen the cloth with water or rubbing alcohol, but be careful to avoid getting any liquid inside the charging ports.

General cleaning tips to follow 

Here’s a rundown of a few more earbud-cleaning tips to remember:

• Never fully submerge your earbuds or headphones in water — even if they’re advertised as “waterproof” or “water-resistant” 
• Cotton swabs are your best bet
• Refrain from using sharp objects, like safety pins, pens and kitchen utensils, to clean the speaker or microphone mesh
• Make sure not to get any liquid in the openings
• Avoid exposing your headphones and earbuds to products that can cause stains or other damage, including soaps, shampoos and conditioners, lotions, perfumes, solvents, detergents, sunscreen, oils or hair dyes and other hair products 

For more cleaning tips, explore how to clean your Apple Watch.