How to Clean Your Headphones and Earbuds (and Yes, You Should)

All headphones And headphones collect all kinds of dirt every day. From earwax and dried sweat to dust and dirt, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria that can lead to real health problems. Even if it doesn’t worry you, the buildup of dirt can negatively affect the sound – and in reality, it may just sound gross. Simply cleaning your headphones and earphones regularly can prevent this.

While most sports headphones are water resistant, you should not soak a helmet under running water. Many household cleaning products can also damage them. That is, there are specific ways to clean headphones without damaging them. Here’s how.

How to clean wireless headphones

The first step is to detach the silicone tips, if your earbuds have them, and soak them in warm, lightly soapy (diluted) water for about 30 minutes. For stubborn stains, you can shake the container to loosen the dirt. Once cleaned, use a soft cloth or cotton swab to wipe away any remaining earwax or dirt and allow the silicone tips to air dry completely. If you used soap, rinse them first, then let them dry.

If your tips are worn or can’t be cleaned, replacements are cheap. We recommend this affordable $13 ear tips which can be connected to standard AirPods. Memory foam tips like those from Conform might give you a better seal than the original tips that came with your headphones, and most come with mesh so that earwax can’t clog the earbuds’ speakers.

For the microphone and speaker mesh, we recommend using a microfiber cloth or soft bristle brush to gently wipe away dirt and grime. Cotton swabs can work, but be careful not to let the cotton get caught in the mesh. Also don’t press too hard, as you could push the wax through the mesh and it would be almost impossible to remove.

CNET Editor-in-Chief Matt Elliott also suggests using Fun-Tak to remove any stubborn earwax that remains after your first wipe. It asks you to rub the Fun-Tak together to warm it up, then press it against the speaker. Then you can use a wooden toothpick to scrape off anything stuck to the sides of the speaker trough.

Don’t forget your charging case

Yes, your charging case also gets dirty. And it doesn’t make much sense to go to the effort of cleaning your earbuds only to put them back in a dirty charging case.

To clean the case, use a dry, lint-free microfiber cloth to wipe away any visible dirt. You can lightly dampen the cloth with water, but be careful to avoid liquid getting into the charging ports. If there is anything in the charging port, compressed air or a soft brush should be able to extract it. Do not use water and be careful if using anything hard or metal as this may damage the port wires.

How to clean over-ear headphones

As with headphones, you should never run over-ear headphones under water, use abrasive tools, or put liquids into any openings. Even models with a certain level of IP water resistance rating, which rarely cover high-intensity water jets, such as holding them under a faucet.

The best method is to wipe the headband portion with a dry cloth, ideally microfiber. If necessary, a damp (but not wet) cloth will do the trick. As a general rule, you should avoid using rubbing alcohol, alcohol wipes, and really, most cleaning products, as the chemicals can damage many earphone materials. Unscented, alcohol-free baby wipes may be acceptable for some, but not all, earphone surfaces.

If a damp cloth fails to clean a stain, the manufacturer likely has recommendations for what you can use and, just as importantly, what not to use. This may include specific leather cleaners for headphones with genuine leather components. Other materials, like velor and Alcantara, can be damaged by any type of cleaning product.

If you use a cleaning product, unless otherwise noted, be sure to wipe it with a damp cloth. Letting certain surfaces air dry with chemicals still present can accelerate damage and wear.

If the pads are removable, remove them to have better access to them and the surfaces behind them, which may also need cleaning.

General Cleaning Tips to Follow

Here’s a look at some additional tips to remember for cleaning headphones:

• Never completely submerge your headphones or earphones in water, even if they are advertised as “waterproof” or “water-resistant.”
• Microfiber cloths are your best choice. Dry is good, wet is (usually) good. Water drops should be avoided.
• Avoid using sharp objects, such as safety pins, pens, broadswords, and kitchen utensils, to clean the speaker or microphone mesh.
• Make sure not to get liquid into any openings.
• Avoid exposing your headphones and earphones to products that may cause staining or other damage, including harsh soaps, shampoos and conditioners, lotions, perfumes, solvents, detergents, sunscreens, hair oils or dyes, and other hair products. If you’re using it to clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces, it’s probably too harsh. Even less harsh soaps should be diluted considerably and used sparingly.