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.
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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.
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