Here’s How I Clean the Dozens of Earbuds I Test for WIRED

Everyone has dirty ears; the human ear is designed to produce earwax to protect itself from other junk getting in there, among other things. That means that the more you put your precious new AirPods Pro in your ear holes, the dirtier they are likely to get.

So what’s the best way to clean out all the gunk? Read below to learn how to clean your earbuds and over-ear headphones, as well as other ways to rehab an old pair.

Looking for headphones? Be sure to check out our guides to the Best Wireless Headphones, the Best Wireless Earbuds, the Best Cheap Headphones, Best Workout Headphones, and the Best Gaming Headsets.

Tools for Cleaning Headphones

Believe it or not, the best thing I have found to clean earbuds (and phone jacks) is a soft-bristle brush like a toothbrush ($8 for six). Use this dry at first, and with a little bit of distilled and deionized water ($17 per gallon) or isopropyl alcohol ($10 for 32 oz) if anything is too stubborn to get out of the ear holes. Make sure to dry your earbuds with a microfiber cloth after.

If you have something large stuck in your buds, feel free to use a toothpick or loop tool to try to get it out. My favorite tools are these pop-out tools ($4) with metal nibs that let you snag tough wax and gunk.

Most modern earbuds have an IP rating, which means they are relatively dust- and waterproof; you can typically run water over them and wipe them off with a towel to dry them if you have any gunk on the exterior of your buds. For over-ear headphones, I’d try to keep them as dry as possible when cleaning, but using a wet rag or brush to clean them shouldn’t be a major issue, as long as you avoid areas like charging ports.

Get New Pads or Tips

Most brands, Apple included, offer replacement eartips and pads for their headphones, which can really make an older pair feel new again, especially if the foam is collapsed and dirty. I recommend changing pads as soon as you notice extra pressure or a lack of quality sound isolation. Eartips I just replace as they get deformed over time, or as I lose one.

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