This $10 Gadget Will (Finally) Clean the Gunk Out of Your Earbuds

2 min read

Remember when your AirPods were stark-white? Before you spent years jamming the earbuds into your ears. I assume they’re not looking as clean and pearly white as they used to. This isn’t just a grooming problem. Getting earwax and gunk in your earbuds is unavoidable. But every adult—maybe I take this too seriously, but I’m a tech reviewer, after all—should clean up their AirPods every once in a while.

Now, according to Apple, you should use micellar water with PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, distilled water, a soft-bristled children’s toothbrush, two small cups, and a paper towel. Is your head spinning? Mine too.

Fortunately, Apple also suggests something much simpler: an AirPods cleaning kit. The AirPods maker points customers to the Belkin AirPods Cleaning Kit. But I prefer this slightly cheaper alternative. It’s like the Swiss army knife of AirPods hygiene.

How to Clean AirPods

This AirPods cleaning kit comes with a tool that has a slider on it. Move the slider one way, and you’ll expose a soft brush with a metal pen tip. Per Apple’s instructions, you can dip the soft brush in micellar water (the company suggests Bioderma or Neutrogena) and use it to clean the mesh areas of your AirPods.

This AirPods cleaning tool is multipurpose, revealing a black brush on one end and a sponge on the other.

Personally, I skip this step. Because I clean my AirPods regularly, just brushing the mesh in circles does the trick. If you want to clean the body of your AirPods, get a microfiber cloth. You can get the Apple Polishing Cloth, but this cheaper alternative I use works just as well.

Get inside those crevices with this cleaning sponge.

When you’re ready to clean the case, move the slider the other way, which will reveal a cleaning sponge. You can use this to clean inside your AirPods’ charging case.

Now that this tool is on your radar, I expect to see spotless AirPods from here on out. Feel free to also use it for cleaning ports inside your iPhone, as well as other hard-to-reach spots on everyday gadgets you’ve been neglecting.