How to clean AirPods, AirPods Pro and the charging case

Step by step: how to clean airpods, airpods pro and the charging case

1. 1

   Wipe the outside of each AirPod

   Dampen a lint-free cloth slightly with fresh water and wipe the stem and body of each AirPod, especially after sweat, sunscreen or lotion. Dry them with a second soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Do not run them under the tap.

2. 2

   Take off the ear tips (AirPods Pro)

   Pull each silicone ear tip straight off. Rinse the tips in water only, with no soap or household cleaner, and wipe them dry with a lint-free cloth. Leave them to dry fully before you put them back on.

3. 3

   Soak the toothbrush in micellar water

   Pour a little micellar water into one cup and distilled water into another. Dip a soft children’s toothbrush into the micellar water until the bristles are fully saturated.

4. 4

   Brush the mesh for 15 seconds

   Hold the AirPod with the mesh facing up and brush it in small circles for about 15 seconds. Then turn the AirPod over and blot the mesh on a paper towel. You should see wax and grime come off on the towel.

5. 5

   Repeat three times, then rinse with distilled water

   Do the brush-and-blot cycle three times on each mesh you are cleaning. Rinse the brush in distilled water, then repeat the same steps with distilled water only to rinse the micellar water away.

6. 6

   Wipe the charging case

   Wipe the case with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Apple says you can dampen the cloth slightly with isopropyl alcohol if needed. Keep all liquid out of the charging port and the AirPod wells.

7. 7

   Brush out the case port

   Sweep any lint out of the charging port with a clean, dry, soft-bristled brush. Apple says not to put anything else into the charging ports, so skip pins and toothpicks.

8. 8

   Let them dry at least two hours

   Leave the AirPods, ear tips and case out to air dry for at least two hours before you put the AirPods back in the case or wear them. Then reattach the ear tips until they click in place.

How to clean each AirPods model

Every model gets the same body wipe and two-hour dry; what changes is the mesh, the ear tips and the cushions. Apple keeps a separate page for each, so check yours before you start.

Apple’s AirPods cleaning page covers the standard models and the AirPods Pro page covers the ear tips and mesh. The Pro page also lists an optional water rinse for one newer model, with exact timings; follow it only for the model it names.

How to clean AirPods Max cushions and headband

Wash the cushions and headband with a weak laundry detergent solution on a cloth, rinse with a damp cloth and let them dry flat for at least a day. Apple’s AirPods Max instructions give the mix: 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of liquid laundry detergent in 1 cup (250 mL) of water.

• Pull the cushions off the ear cups first. The cushions are what you clean when you clean AirPods Max ear cups; keep liquid out of the openings in the ear cups, as Apple says.
• Dip a lint-free cloth in the solution, wring it out and work over each cushion and the headband for about a minute.
• Hold the headphones upside down while you clean the headband, so liquid cannot run into the headband attachment points.
• Wipe with a cloth dampened with fresh water, dry with a lint-free cloth, and lay everything flat for at least a day before you reattach the cushions.

What not to use on AirPods

Keep sharp objects, abrasives and running water away from AirPods; they are the usual causes of damage. Apple’s pages repeat the same warnings for every model.

• No toothpicks, pins or paper clips in the mesh or the case port. They tear the mesh and push wax deeper.
• No soap, hand sanitizer or household cleaners on the ear tips; water only.
• No bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Apple’s general cleaning guide rules them out for all its products.
• No liquid in the charging ports, and no putting damp AirPods back in the case.

If the case port still will not charge after you brush it, our guide to cleaning a charging port covers what to try next.

Mistakes to avoid

• Digging wax out of the mesh with a toothpick or pin, which can puncture it.
• Running AirPods under the tap instead of wiping them.
• Washing AirPods Pro ear tips with soap.
• Putting AirPods back in the case before they have dried for two hours.
• Using any micellar water without checking for the ingredient Apple names.