Whether you use Apple’s AirPods, Google’s Pixel Buds, the wireless earbuds from Nothing, or any other earbuds (and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get great sound), you might have noticed a decrease in audio fidelity or volume over time (and you might want to consider setting up a proper EQ for your headphones or change your Spotify settings), and maybe your buds don’t charge as fast as they used to from the charging case.
This often happens because the buds accumulate wax and grease on the speaker mesh (which affects sound quality and volume) while also reducing charging speed when the little charging contacts on your buds and charging case get dirty.
With proper cleaning with cheap household cleaning items, you can restore the full sound quality and charging speed of your earbuds if you are a little bit strategic about what you clean, and here’s how.
I’ve reviewed dozens of wireless earbuds, and this is my go-to pair
I have reviewed dozens of wireless earbuds in the past year, dozens more through my career, and these are the ones I always go back to.
How to properly clean your wireless earbuds
Gather a few cheap household cleaning supplies first
To properly clean your earbuds, you’ll need a few supplies that are very cheap that you probably already have: alcohol wipes, cotton swabs, and toothpicks (though if you don’t have toothpicks, you can use another wood-based sharp tool, but I don’t recommend a needle or knife because you could accidentally tear the mesh and expose the speaker driver beneath). I prefer alcohol wipes over alcohol-based cleaning solutions because most earbuds are not water-resistant and so you want to minimize the amount of moisture you use when cleaning your buds, and alcohol wipes have just a small amount of moisture.
Both on your buds and on your charging case
All buds charge inside their case when the metal contacts from the buds (often found on the bottom of the bud stem) contact the metal contacts inside the case. Ear wax and grease can create a layer on these contacts that makes charging less effective, so you need to locate and clean the contacts with a cotton swab or alcohol wipe.
In the case of my AirPods, the charging contacts are inside the silo where the buds charge. Using a cotton swap and alcohol wipe, I can clean the metal contacts, while also wiping the contacts on the buds.
Look for the small metal contacts
Look carefully at your buds to find the metal contacts that are used to charge your buds. If your buds have stems like my AirPods or like the Nothing Wireless Earbuds, the contacts are probably at the bottom of the stems. But if your buds are stemless like the Google Pixel Buds, you’ll have to look carefully at each bud to find the charging contacts, which often look like small metal circles.
Once you locate the charging contacts on your buds, wipe the metal part with your alcohol wipe to strip away any grease or wax that might be preventing your buds from making a strong connection.
Ear wax and grease can create a layer on these contacts that makes charging less effective, so you need to locate and clean the contacts
Next, scrape away earwax
Restore full sound quality
This is a little bit yucky but very important. The human ear generates wax to protect the sensitive components of our inner ear, and some of that wax can come loose over time and deposit on the mesh of your earbuds.
This wax inevitably accumulates on the metal mesh of your earbuds and literally blocks the sound from coming out, which can muffle the sound and actually reduce the treble (which means the higher frequencies) that reach your ear drum. In fact, a 10% blockage from earwax can result in a 50% decrease in volume in your earbuds.
You can clean this earwax with a toothpick by gently scraping away the wax. Before doing that, use an alcohol wipe to moisten and loosen the wax, which can sometimes get hard and difficult to remove.
A 10% blockage from earwax can result in a 50% decrease in volume in your earbuds
Restore your earbuds by cleaning them
Don’t replace your buds until you try this
Depending on how old and dirty your earbuds are, proper cleaning of your wireless earbuds could make a huge difference both in terms of sound quality and charging speed.
This is especially true if you can visibly see wax blocking the speaker meshes of your buds, which suggests that you are literally blocking sound from reaching your ear drum, which is degrading the sound quality. Not only that, but other forms of dirt like oil and grease might have formed a layer on the little charging contacts that actually power the batteries inside your buds when you dock them in the charging case. Cleaning these contacts, both inside the case and on the buds themselves, ensures a strong connection that maximizes charging speeds when you dock your buds in your charging case.
For best results, schedule a weekly cleaning regime for your wireless earbuds to keep them in the best shape, especially if you use your buds multiple times per day and for working out like I do.
- Microphones
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- Bluetooth
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Bluetooth 5.4