How to Take Care of your AirPods.

You can also use any other Wireless Earbuds you own.

Wireless earphones became commonplace in a short period of time. Apple's AirPods were released in September 2016, and they joined the ranks of other noteworthy true wireless headphones from Jabra, Sony, Samsung, and others. Many of us still use them to listen to music, podcasts, and streaming services on our phones and tablets a few years later.

Wireless earphones, on the other hand, can quickly become soiled due to their frequent use. Ear wax, oils, and skin cells will come into contact with them. Apart from hygiene, cleaning your earphones (and charging case) may result in better-sounding, longer-lasting headphones. Before using rubbing alcohol or a metallic tool, always utilize the gentlest cleaning equipment.

This will limit the likelihood of damaging your headphones' frequently shiny plastic housing, as well as the fragile membranes found in many buds (and certain eartips). I know this since I've perforated two AirPod membranes due to overzealous cleaning. Take care even when removing the tips: You must twist and take them off with Sony's WF-1000XM4. Simply follow the manufacturer's instructions (we've included numerous suggestions below), as well as our best advice.

Depending on the type of buds you have, the cleaning procedure varies. There are numerous types with a single solid body, like as Apple's original AirPods, and several models with removable silicone (or plastic) buds, such as the Galaxy Buds, Sony's WF-1000XM4 buds, or most Beats buds.

The key distinction is that detachable tips are easier to clean thoroughly. They can easily be replaced, and spare tips are frequently included in the box. You can also clean extremely dirty tips with soapy water or other mild cleaning agents without worry of hurting your headphones' electronic components.

Using a microfiber cloth, clean the earphones and replaceable tips. Because most wireless buds are kept in a case, dirt from the tips may have migrated to the headphones as well. Apple recommends cleaning the exterior of its wireless headphones with "70% isopropyl alcohol wipe, 75 % ethyl alcohol wipe, or disinfectant wipes," but warns against using wet wipes on the speaker mesh sections. Samsung recommends gentle, dry clothing and cotton swabs.

Remove the tips and use a cotton swab, or a toothpick if you need something thinner, to carefully trace the interior of each bud. Upgrade to a metal loop on the end of an earphone cleaning tool if any debris remains, but proceed with caution. Metallic objects have a higher proclivity for scratching and piercing. At the opposite end of the cleaning tool is a brush for removing any loose dirt. Wipe the sides of the tips with a slightly damp towel after they are clear.

The AirPods Pro tips include a thin mesh membrane that is easier to clean than the membranes on the headphones, but it is also more brittle. Apple recommends rinsing the tips with water and not using soap or other cleaning chemicals on them. If you use a damp cloth or rinse them, make sure to dry them thoroughly before reattaching them.

The microphone and speaker mesh sections of the AirPods should be cleaned using cotton swabs or a dry cloth, according to Apple. You can also use a bulb air blower, which should clear dirt with a moderate amount of force while causing no damage to the electrics. However, while canned air may be more powerful, it should not be used. This, according to Sony, can push dust deeper into the microphone or sound outlet holes.

How to clean the Charging Case of your Wireless Earphones

It's possible that your charging case is in worse shape than your headphones. The case can pick up dirt from your buds while they're charging, as well as pocket-lint from being in pockets and your bag, thanks to its deep crevices. Because these shells often use metal connections to connect to and charge the buds, any build-up of dirt or earwax can prevent your headphones from charging. Keeping those charging contacts clean pays off. Anything obstructing your buds from charging should be easy to be removed using a gentle cloth or a cotton swab for more difficult-to-reach areas.

You can use a small toothpick to remove any filth or wax stuck in the device's seams on both the earphones and the casing. Although most earphones are made of moulded plastic, some include edges and lines that attract dirt.

How do you Clean your Wireless Earbuds?

Now that your buds are in tip-top shape, attempt to keep them that way. If you use your AirPods or Galaxy Buds during a workout, wipe them down afterward with a cloth to prevent moisture from getting inside. The easier your wireless earbuds are to clean, the more frequently you check on their condition.

We'll wrap up this lesson with some digital hygiene advice: make sure any TWE companion applications are up to date. These updates may include noteworthy new features or performance improvements. After OS and app upgrades, your smartphone will normally send firmware updates to your earbuds automatically, so keep them close to your phone. This is particularly true for iPhones and AirPods, which do not alert you when firmware upgrades are available. Check that you have the most recent firmware version in iOS settings (you presumably do), and if you don't, make sure your iPhone and AirPods are both plugged in and (most importantly) close to each other.

The update should be transmitted to the AirPods rather soon, but you can ensure that it happens by leaving the devices next to each other overnight.