Fungal and yeast infection-causing Germs can build up on the earbuds if you wedge them in your ear canals, not to mention wax visibly stuck to their surfaces. After sending out an earphone for analysis, Inside Edition even found pneumonia-causing bacteria like Staph aureus on regularly used earbuds, and one set showed evidence of nearly a million different cultures of bacteria. Part of this is scare-mongering, of course – some bacteria are fine, not to mention the inevitable ones. Still, our earbuds are rather gross.
What is the right way to clean them and how often should we do it? Let’s take a look.
How often should you clean earbuds?
Schedule cleaning of your earbuds as needed – this sounds easy, but it’s easy to forget. If you’re like most people, run, come back, and slide them right back into their protective tote bag to fester and breed more germs. However, health professionals recommend regular cleaning – like before, after, and after each use.
The ear, nose and throat specialist Dr. Darius Kohan said Inside Edition If they are not cleaned regularly: “You slide them in. They wrap the ear with wax. The germs on them – you will get infections. ”
In addition to cleaning them more often, Kohan recommends that over-the-ear switching between earbuds and headphones will help reduce exposure to germs.
G / O Media can receive a commission
The audiologist Dr. Arica Black repeated the same thing and told you local news network that it is preferred to clean the earbuds before each use. She also recommended cleaning them more often during the summer months, when you sweat more and conditions like “swimmer’s ear” are more common.
How to clean your earbuds
You can wipe your earbuds with regular disinfectant wipes. Just let them dry before putting them away. You might be concerned that common disinfectant fluids and wipes can damage the insides, but Apple has confirmed that using 70 percent isopropyl alcohol or disinfectant wipes on your AirPods is perfectly fine. They also warn of the possibility of liquid getting into the crevices and recommend drying AirPods with a lint-free microfiber cloth afterwards. You can find detailed instructions how to clean similar products like the AirPod Max headbands, pads and bags on their website.
Of course, not all earbuds come from Apple. So if you are concerned about specific considerations for your brand, you can contact your manufacturer for instructions. However, it is likely to be safe to assume that the same method will work. You can also use a small amount of regular hand sanitizer on a napkin or square of toilet paper instead of using a whole towel. In any case, just know that it is important to regularly disinfect and dry your earbuds before putting them away.
