How to Clean Earbuds and In-Ear Headphones
Horror stories of keyboards, mice and other PC peripherals not being cleaned for years still plague the internet. For some people, these horror stories are simply that, stories, while others might have actually neglected their peripherals.
Hygiene is important, particularly in a world where a global pandemic is still causing issues. While you could wash your hands before and after a gaming session, your ears will be a different story.
Headphones, namely in-ear headphones and earbuds which are inside the ear or rest on the tragus and antitragus, can cause issues if they are not cleaned regularly. Headphones like these could be even more problematic than over ear or on ear headphones because of their proximity to the ear canal.
Following is advice on how to clean your in-ear headphones and earbuds, as well as explanations of the risks of not doing so. Note that all types of headphones should be cleaned, not just in-ears and earbuds.
Why Clean Your Headphones in the First Place?
The obvious answer would be hygiene. We all know or have an idea what bacteria can do to our bodies. In order to prevent having unpleasant visits to the doctor’s office, we wash our hands and sanitize our cutlery.
Headphones work in a similar fashion, particularly in-ears and earbuds. They are very close to the ear canal and can therefore introduce lots of foreign objects, bacteria and dust/other particles from your environment. This can lead to two unpleasant scenarios.
Ear Infections – Ears as Bacteria Incubators
Ears, when closed off by earbuds or in-ear headphones, become a somewhat isolated system where bacteria can flourish. Due to the presence of sweat, which can be bothersome in hot and humid areas of the world, bacteria can develop faster. This can lead to an ear infection. Ear infections are painful and make you sensitive to sound. They can be treated with antibiotics (if bacteria are indeed the cause) but one would still have periods of unpleasantness.
Cleaning your earbuds is therefore recommended, to prevent any bacteria and foreign objects from entering the ear.
Earwax Buildup – Dirty Earbuds Lead to More Earwax
Our ears are self-washing to an extent. Earwax is the way our ears clean themselves. The more dirt and bacteria enter the ear, the more earwax there is, to clean the ear and prevent foreign objects from progressing further in the ear canal.
Too much earwax can affect the way we hear things, in other words, our hearing will deteriorate. Cleaning our in-ear headphones remedies potential wax buildup. The ears would have nothing to react to given that the headphones would be spotless.
How to Clean Earbuds – A Simple But Comprehensive Guide
Earbuds are pretty easy to clean, provided that you have the right tools. All of the tools are simple to obtain and are general household items.
70% rubbing alcohol is a good disinfectant.
A cotton ear swab or a soft toothbrush are helpful in reaching smaller spaces, particularly when cleaning in-ear headphones.
Microfiber cloths, soft ones, are great for earbuds.
Simply wiping the headphones with a damp microfiber cloth should get rid of all the bacteria. In-ear headphones might need a smaller cotton swab to get to the smaller parts of the in-ear, once the tip is removed.
How to Clean Apple Earbuds
Apple earbuds are somewhat special to clean, being wireless earbuds. They should never be cleaned when connected to a device nor when they are charging. Fast drying alcohol should be used when cleaning Apple earbuds. Avoid using liquid products around the charging ports. The ports should be cleaned with an anti-static brush.
The mesh surrounding the speaker should be cleaned with a soft toothbrush or any really soft brush. Avoid using sharp objects. A damp cloth can be used to wipe most of the earbuds and charging case, minus the ports/contacts.
How to Clean Earwax Out of Earbuds
In general, cotton swabs can do the trick with most earbuds. Some have trickier parts which might require a smaller cotton swab. Put a bit of rubbing alcohol on the swab and gently clean wherever there is earwax. Make sure that the swab is damp but not soaked, otherwise the alcohol might get into the electronics.
How to Clean Earbuds Rubber – Different Tips
Rubber earbuds are mostly on the cheaper side of earbuds and they can be cleaned with either a damp cloth or a soft toothbrush or a cotton swab. Make sure not to press too hard when cleaning, because even rubber can be ripped, thus ruining the tip.
Silicone tips are similar to rubber, at least in terms of cleaning. The same rules which apply to rubber apply to silicone.
How to Clean Earbuds Foam – Slowly and Gently
Most audiophile in-ear headphones have foam tips, and in general, they are considered to be better in most cases, from exercise to sound quality and insulation. Yet, foam tips are easily torn and ripped, and they are not washable.
You should avoid any harder brushes or anything remotely sharp when cleaning foam tips. Use rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab, applying the swab gently to the tip.
Learning How to Clean out Earbuds is Easy
Hygiene is important and we should take care of our health in these already trying times. With that in mind, our earbuds and in-ear headphones can have lots of germs and bacteria on them, becoming a health hazard with prolonged use.
While there is not a single best way to clean earbuds, using a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol should work with most devices. There are differences between the tips of the earbuds and in-ears, particularly when you consider the price range.
Granted, even affordable headphones are great nowadays and when it comes to cleaning, the differences only require a softer touch (nobody wants to break their 500$+ headphones).
Clean your earbuds and in-ear headphones regularly, on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, depending on how you store them. It takes up to five minutes but can save you a lot of time and pain in the long run.