We independently review all our recommendations. Purchases made via our links may earn us a commission. Learn more ❯
Learn how to clean your headphones and earbuds easily with this complete guide.
Regularly cleaning your headphones not only keeps them looking nice and smelling fresh but also prevents muffled sounds or even ear infections caused by accumulated dirt and debris.
However, headphones have delicate electronics and various types of foam, metal, and plastics, so improperly cleaning them can lead to more harm than good.
Keep reading as we discuss everything you need to know to clean your headphones, earbuds, charging case, and headphone jack safely and responsibly!
Regardless of what type of headphones you are using, the materials required to clean them are usually the same.
Here are the materials you need to prepare to clean your headphones:
You should stay clear of sharp tools and abrasive cleaning agents, such as bleach or hydrogen peroxide. These can damage the headphones’ material or degrade the silicone in the earbuds’ tips. Additionally, avoid using blu-tak to clean your earbuds, as they can push dirt and earwax deeper into your speaker mesh
Keeping your headphones clean makes them more comfortable to use and allows them to last longer. Here’s how to do so:
It’s preferable to use water instead of other cleaning agents like alcohol to minimize potential damage to the ear pads’ material. Alcohol can be quite harsh and thus slowly degrade the thin leather or velour covering the ear pads.
Be as gentle as possible when cleaning near the drivers, as you don’t want to risk damaging them.
Since earbuds usually go inside the ear canal, learning how to clean them properly saves you from the risk of contracting ear infections. Follow these steps to clean your earbuds effectively:
If your earbuds don’t use ear tips, proceed to step 4.
You can use a wooden toothpick to remove more stubborn debris. However, do this as gently as possible, as you can tear the mesh if you use the toothpick forcefully.
Accumulated dirt can block the charging pins inside your earbuds’ case, causing potential issues with charging and connecting your TWS earbuds to your device. Cleaning your charging case prevents these problems. Here’s how:
Be careful not to poke or damage the charging pins inside the case accidentally.
It’s also best to clean the headphone jack to ensure your headphones will connect to your device without issue.
To do this, we recommend using a can of compressed air. The thin nozzle can concentrate a quick blast of air guaranteed to dislodge and remove most lint and dust trapped in the jack.
However, if you are worried that using compressed air will damage your headphone jack, there are other methods to try. You can also use an interdental brush, pipe cleaner, or a bent paper clip with attached double-sided tape. Insert any of these carefully into the jack, and gently try to dislodge any debris or blockade inside.
Do this step carefully, as you risk damaging the headphone jack’s metal interior if you are too rough with it. You can also check out this article for a comprehensive guide on cleaning your headphone jack
To remove the sweaty smell from your ear pads, you try cleaning them and storing them with silica gel packets. These absorb moisture and help control humidity, thereby preventing the growth of molds that give off an awful odor. If this doesn’t work, you may need to completely replace the ear pads.
You should avoid using hydrogen peroxide to clean your headphones. Although hydrogen peroxide helps dissolve earwax, it can also discolor or damage the material of your earbuds or headphones.
ENT specialists recommend deep cleaning your headphones once a week. This ensures you can quickly eliminate gunk and sweat that can cause ear infections. However, it’s good practice to wipe your headphones after every use to prevent dirt from accumulating.
If you have any questions on Cleaning Headset Ear Muffs. We will give the professional answers to your questions.