While most AirPods owners try to keep their wireless earbuds clean, not everyone thinks about the health of the charging case. If you want all your Apple gadgets to keep their original appearance and work smoothly for a longer time, you need to take care of them. Regular cleaning of your AirPods case will extend its life, help remove dirt from its surface, and prevent disease-causing bacteria from growing.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Cleaning the outside of the chassis
Step 1. Start by pre-cleaning the case
Wipe the outside of the case with a soft microfiber cloth. Remove dust, lint, dirt and earwax.
Step 2. Moisten the washcloth if necessary
You can moisten a napkin with distilled water, or if there is stubborn dirt on the case, then a small amount of isopropyl alcohol. There should be a minimum amount of liquid, and it is better to do dry cleaning altogether.
Both the AirPods themselves and the charging case are not waterproof. Be careful not to spill liquid into the charging ports or on the earbuds themselves
Step 3. Remove dirt and stains from the outside of the case with a cotton swab
With a cotton swab, it is easy to remove spot stains. If the dirt is difficult to remove, moisten the stick with distilled water. If the water does not help wipe away stubborn stains, lightly moisten the stick with isopropyl alcohol.
Part 2 of 3: Cleaning the inside of the case
Step 1. Wipe the charging ports thoroughly
Use a Q-tip or cotton swab to wipe down the charging ports (the holes inside the case where the AirPods fit for storage and charging) and any recesses and notches. It is necessary to remove dust and lint from the contacts as much as possible so that the headphones charge faster and also to prevent short circuits.
Step 2. Wipe the grooves on the inside of the case lid
When the lid is clean, the case looks like new. If necessary, slightly dampen the stick with water or alcohol. Make sure that the liquid does not drip from the cotton swab, otherwise the drops will fall on the contacts inside the case. You can easily remove dust and earwax with a slightly moistened cotton swab.
Step 3. Use a toothpick to wipe away stubborn dirt
This is where bacteria begin to multiply. Use a plastic or wooden toothpick to clean all grooves and crevices, especially around the lid. Work methodically but carefully. Without applying great physical force, methodically clean off traces of earwax. Here are a few more tools to help you keep your AirPods case clean and last longer:
- Sticky tape or adhesive. Both help to remove dirt, lint and earwax. If you are using adhesive tape (scotch tape), it is recommended to choose a more expensive and high quality one, which will not leave glue marks on the case. Insert a piece of tape or gum into the gap and press firmly. Remove tape or gum, together with earwax and dirt from the cover of the case.
- Soft eraser. The eraser can be used to remove stubborn stains and dirt.
- Soft toothbrush. Use only soft or super-soft bristled brushes. Gently brush off dirt, dust and lint from the slots and from the charging connector.
Part 3 of 3: Final polish
Step 1. Wipe the case again with a microfiber cloth
Your AirPods case should now look like new. The final touch remains: lightly polish the case with a dry microfiber cloth. Wipe the case thoroughly and gently to complete the cleaning process.
Step 2. Now wipe the AirPods themselves
Gently wipe off both earbuds one at a time. If dirt gets stuck in the holes, carefully remove it with a brush. You can moisten a cotton swab with a drop of isopropyl alcohol to remove dried-on earwax. However, be careful not to let alcohol get into the holes or into the speakers.
