How to Clean Earbuds

Whether you use your earbuds for listening to music, watching youtube or catching up on podcasts your earbuds are sure to accumulate ear wax over time this can affect the sound quality of earbuds causing them to gradually start to sound muffled.

To understand this you first need to know that our ears produce earwax to protect the skin of the human ear canal, assist in cleaning and lubrication, and also provide some protection from bacteria, fungi, insects, and water, when the earbuds sit in our ears heat is being generated causing the earwax to melt and adhere to the earbud and making them a disgusting mess. With that being said let us dive into some of the easy and convenient methods to thoroughly clean earbuds.

Note:

Firstly, if you are working with earbuds that have silicon ear tips remove them so you can focus on cleaning the important internal part where wax accumulates. You will also need to clean the ear tips. The most easy and convenient way to eliminate any dust or wax from the ear tips is as follows:

1. Separate the earbud from ear tips taking the latter off completely.
2. Take water in a bowl or container and submerge the ear tips in them for at least 5min.
3. Thoroughly dry the ear tips with a cloth towel. Make sure the towel reaches all the little spaces in the ear tips. This is important as wiping with a towel will eliminate the particles off the tips.

To clean the earbuds themselves you can follow the methods listed below. Try to use the one if you find the most convenient.

Method 1: Clean the Earbuds Using Soapy Water and Cloth Towel

This method is very similar to the one used for cleaning ear tips. You will need a bowl of water, a pinch of soap and a cloth. It is very important to use mild soap, not the harsh ones. The steps for this method are

1. In the water, bowl add a pinch of soap. Stir the mixture until it becomes a solution.
2. Dip the towel in the solution. Remove the excess soaked solution by squeezing the towel until all liquid is out and there is no liquid dripping.
3. Use the towel to clean the earbuds. You have to be cautious here making sure no liquid drips inside the driver of the earbuds.
4. Use a clean dry cloth towel to wipe the liquid soapy solution and dry the earbuds.

Method 2: Using a Dry Toothbrush with Clean Dry Cloth Towel

This is the fastest and safest method to clean your earbuds. You will require just a cloth towel and a toothbrush. Using this method you are to clean as follows:

1. Turn the earbuds in a position where the metal drivers face the bottom. With the toothbrush start scraping the accumulated wax. Make sure you reach all parts.
2. Use to cloth towel to wipe the wax off the earbuds.

Method 3: Disinfecting and Cleaning Using Alcohol

Using alcohol not only cleans but also infects the earbud of any harmful bacteria which may cause ear infections later on.

1. Scrape the earbud with a toothbrush.
2. With the wax and particles now loose use alcohol wipes to wipe the earbud thoroughly.
3. Rubbing alcohol dries extremely quickly but we will still recommend you wipe the earbud with a clean cloth towel afterward.

Method 4: Use Blu-Tack

So far using blue tack is the safest and most efficient way to remove the wax from the metal mesh of the earbuds. Blue-tack is a sticky and dry adhesive.

Try gently tapping the metal mash of the earbud with blue tack a couple of times, the wax and other dust particles will stick to the sticky adhesive making your earbuds as clean as a new.