Earbuds are a necessary piece of technology for many people. They allow you to listen to music and podcasts while you’re on the go, and they can help you stay focused when you’re working.
However, with all their benefits also comes the responsibility to keep them clean.
However, if you don’t clean them regularly, they can become caked with earwax and other debris, leading to infection and hearing loss.
In this article, we’ll show you how to clean your earbuds safely and effectively.
Before You Begin Cleaning:
Before you begin cleaning your earbuds, there are a few things to note.
First, make sure to remove all of the debris from your earbuds before starting the cleaning process.
You’ll also want to try and clean them when they aren’t connected to your phone or another device.
You can thoroughly clean this way without worrying about damaging any components that may be damaged by water.
Finally, if your earpieces have removable covers, be sure that they’re removed before you start cleaning (if applicable).
Take a small amount of rubbing alcohol and put it in a bow.
Take about a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol and pour it into the bowl. You don’t need much for this process.
Afterward, you can use another cotton swab to dip it in the bowl and gently rub the buds with the liquid. The alcohol will help break up any wax or dirt that’s built up on your earbuds over time.
Make sure not to soak your headphones; just apply enough liquid to dampen them (but not saturated).
As you go through this cleaning process, be careful not to push down too hard on whichever bud is in your ear as you clean them off because this could easily damage them.
This simple step should help rid your earbuds of dirt and other grime without causing too much wear and tear.
Take your toothbrush and dip it in the bowl of rubbing alcohol
Then, take one end of your toothbrush (which should be wet with the liquid) and gently rub each earbud until you can see all of the dirt coming off of them.
After this is done, you’ll want to go ahead and stick your cotton swab back into the bowl so that it can absorb any excess liquid before you try cleaning off the buds again later on.
Repeat these steps on both sides of your headphones for about 30 seconds each. Be sure to focus on areas where they’re most dirty or caked with earwax (usually near the speakers).
That way, once you’re finished with all this cleaning, they should be as good as new and ready to go.
Let dry before using again
After you’ve completed all of these steps, be sure to let your earbuds dry off before putting them back together and using them again.
If there’s moisture left inside the buds, it could erode some of the inner components or simply cause damage that extends to other aspects of your headphones (like poor sound quality).
It might also be a good idea to put your earbuds back together at this point and use them for another five minutes or so before you start listening to music on them.
This is because, even if they’ve dried off, there may still be some residue leftover from the cleaning process (i.e., bits of cotton swab or rubbing alcohol).
If this is the case, they may need another minute or so to dissipate before you can start listening again.
That’s all there is to it! If you take these steps and clean your earbuds on a semi-regular basis, you should be able to drastically reduce any damage that comes from wax and dirt buildup.
This should also help them last a lot longer, which should be a priority for any piece of tech that you use daily.
If there are any rips or tears in your earbuds:
However, if you find any loose strings or tears in the fabric on your earbuds after going through this cleaning process, it’s probably a good idea to invest in a new pair.
Otherwise, they could potentially come undone and cause additional damage to whatever components lay underneath them.
Then, when choosing a new set of headphones, keep in mind that they might also need regular maintenance. If you want to keep them from getting dirty over time.
How often you’ll have to do this will vary depending on how badly they get used and how often you use them.
So remember to take care of your earbuds and clean them thoroughly to don’t cause any more damage.
Tips to Keep Your Earbuds Clean Longer.
Put your earbuds in a case when you’re not using them. You can buy a case specifically for this purpose or just use a small cloth bag that’s closed tightly at the top.
This will help keep dirt and grime from accumulating on your earbuds, as well as extend their life.
Clean your case, too, so that it doesn’t accumulate dirt. If you have a chance for your earbuds, you should also clean the inside of them regularly so that wax and other debris don’t build up in there.
Don’t use the headphones underwater unless they’re specifically made for that purpose.
If your earbuds accidentally get wet, you can usually save them. No matter what you listen to, be sure to protect your earbuds from moisture.
Don’t store your earbuds in a pocket or where they might get sweaty—especially if they’re moisture resistant. Instead, put them in a sealed plastic bag or waterproof container.
