Wireless headphones have changed the way we listen to music. Practical, comfortable, and above all, very small, these devices have opened the door for us to enjoy all types of songs and programs regardless of where we are. But with its great advantages, come small drawbacks. And, because most of them are intraural – they have to be partially inserted into the auditory cavity – they accumulate dirt and ear wax very quickly. Cleaning them if you don’t know how can be quite a challenge, especially if we take into account that they are very delicate devices. Whether you have AirPods or any other headphones, leaving them looking like new requires a little technique, but it is a process that will be worth it.
First of all, you must distinguish the type of wireless headset you have. You will have noticed that there are a large number of models and each one requires a specific cleaning method.
How to clean in-ear headphones
As we have mentioned, in-ear headphones are the ones that can accumulate the most dirt. Being inside our ear canal at all times, it is very likely that they will accumulate dirt in a matter of days.
When it comes to leaving them like new, one piece of advice we give you is to disassemble them as much as possible. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to know which components you can separate and which you cannot. Many of these headphones come with adapters silicone, a piece that acts as a barrier between the device and the inside of our ear. It is important that you remove it to be able to clean it as accurately as possible. If your headphones have this silicone rubber, cleaning them will be extremely easy. You will only have to wipe them with a little water and mild soap.
It is very important that before returning the adapters to the device, you must ensure that they are completely dry. Otherwise, they could jeopardize the integrity of the product, or cause an infection due to moisture accumulation in the ear.
You should also keep in mind that this is a part of the headset that must be changed with some regularity. To do this, we ask that you again refer to the product manual, in order to know precisely how often you should change the silicone adapter.
If you have purchased a silicone case for the headset or it already came with the product, cleaning is exactly the same. You will only have to remove this protective component, wash it with soap and water, and let it dry very well before attaching it to the headset again.
If your earphones do not come with silicone adapter, like the famous AirPods, things get complicated. And there is no barrier mechanism that separates the earphone from the ear canal, so the dirt from our ears will go directly to the earphone grill. Your best bet for cleaning is to use a cloth that does not leave lint, like those traditionally used to clean the lenses of our glasses. Alternatively, a microfiber cloth is also a good option.
Dampen this cloth with household isopropyl alcohol. With this you will be able to disinfect the headset while you clean it. On the other hand, due to the great ability of alcohol to evaporate into the air, it will be more difficult for the headphones to become excessively wet and you will not put your headphones at risk.
Finally, we do not recommend using a toothpick or any pointed object to clean wax and dirt from your earphone. Although it may be tempting, you should refrain from using these types of instruments to clean your device, as they can detach the earpiece grill or cause damage to it. As an alternative, we recommend a small brush with very soft bristles. There are specific brushes for sale for this purpose, but if you don’t have them on hand, a children’s toothbrush may be your best option.
How to clean over-ear headphones
You may have wireless headphones at home that cover your ear completely and that you don’t have to insert into your ear canal. When it comes to cleaning, what is popularly known as ‘helmets’ are the forgotten ones. And, being in constant contact with the outside of the ear and the top of our head, these sound devices accumulate more dirt than we may initially suspect. Cleaning them can be difficult due to fear of damaging their synthetic fabric parts or causing them to accumulate moisture. If you are methodical, you can keep your over-ear headphones clean for a long time.
Typically, over-ear wireless headphones have a protective sponge inside the speaker. As you can imagine, since it is in constant contact with the ear, it is the dirtiest part of the headset. Luckily, they are very easy to clean:
- Synthetic leather pads: If the sponge of your headset is covered with synthetic leather or a thin polyester-like fabric, cleaning it will be quite easy. First, check if you can remove the pads, which will speed up the cleaning process. Afterwards, you will only need to moisten a microfiber cloth with a little soapy water. Be careful in this step, because if the fabric accumulates too much moisture, it could crack. Finally, with the help of an ear swab and a little isopropyl alcohol, go over the most difficult corners of the sponge.
- Hair pads: This is a relatively unusual type of pad. More comfortable than their polyester counterpart, they have the difficulty of being more prone to accumulating moisture. As a result, they are also dirtier. If you can disassemble them, cleaning them will be easier, since you may be able to put them in the washing machine. No two pads are the same, so check with the manufacturer to see if you can machine wash them. Otherwise, clean them with a cloth moistened with soapy water. It is vitally important that they are completely dry before reassembling them in the headset, so allow at least a day for them to dry.
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