Your earbuds are gross – Here’s how to clean them the right way
It’s a bit stomach-turning when you think about the germs, viruses, grime, and other crud covering our devices.
Dust can do a surprising amount of damage to your TV. Particles find their way into every crack and crevice and stay there unless you do something about it. Tap or click for the safe steps to clean out your TV’s ports — and shine up the screen.
Your TV is probably clear of nasty germs, but your phone is another story. Think about everything you touch in a day and all the times you grab your phone. Tap or click here for a guide to sanitizing your smartphone without ruining it.
And then there are your earbuds. Unless you clean them regularly, filth builds up in a way that would be embarrassing if anyone saw it. Here’s how to get rid of it.
Wiping away the crud
Compared to other gadgets, earbuds rack up an extraordinary amount of nastiness. They collect dirt and skin particles, earwax, grease, and sweat. They’re like portable Petri dishes for our biological debris. Yuck.
Luckily, it’s not hard to wipe it all away. First, grab a microfiber cloth. I like this six-pack from EliteTechGear.
Lightly dampen it and wipe down the cord and body of each earbud. You can use these steps for your earbuds’ charging case, too, but avoid anything wet on the speaker area of your headphones.
If you prefer cleaning wipes as I do, grab a big affordable pack so you never run out. I always order Care Touch’s box of 210 wipes. Again, avoid the speaker.
Pro tip: If your white corded headphones are covered in dirt and scuffs, use a pencil eraser to buff the dark streaks away.
When cleaning your earbud speakers, you need to be careful. Sharp objects like toothpicks or safety pins can do severe damage. A plastic tool, like a flosser, is a safer option for scraping earwax or other buildups from around the edge. Once you’re done, use a dry cloth to wipe away the junk gently.
One viral TikTok trick recommends Blu Tack, the reusable adhesive putty used to hang up posters, as a safer option. Sculpt it into a ball and press it into your earbud speakers. It should have picked up all the junk inside your buds when you pull it away.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
9 Apple AirPods tricks you'll wish you knew before now
AirPods were a holiday season top seller, and if you haven’t already cut the cord on your earbuds, you can expect to do so soon. Small, sleek and Bluetooth-enabled, AirPods have turned regular old earphones into dynamic devices in their own right, and they have only improved with each generation.
10 things on sale you need to get yourself after the holidays
Consumers spent a whopping $9.4 billion on Cyber Monday alone last month. Retailers were pushing their best deals, and shoppers took advantage — shelling out 20% more cash than the year before.
Last year’s record-breaking holiday shopping season is long gone, but there are still great deals to be found. In fact, we compile great sales and exclusive discounts year-round. Check out the Komando.com Deals page for the hottest tech and digital deals, including gadgets, gizmos, online courses and more.
Apple is offering a free fix for these faulty accessories
Apple gets a lot of criticism for its high prices and unusual release strategies. But one thing critics and fans can both agree on is the company’s dedication to customer service and support.
That’s why when your phone breaks, you don’t feel completely screwed over. Visiting an Apple Store for repairs might feel overwhelming at first, but if you know what you’re doing, the process can be smoother than you might expect. Tap or click here to learn how to get repairs done at the Apple Store.