Just a shock: your AirPods are that dirty

Can you imagine eating with the same cutlery for days? Walking in the same underwear for weeks? Sleeping under the same duvet cover for months without washing it? Nobody would be happy about that, right? Neither would your ears.

Let me get straight to the point for avid earbud users: those things are dirty. And the chances are high that you are the cause of it. A mobile phone is not without reason a major cause of acne and pimples. Hello, breeding ground for bacteria in your pocket. It works the same way with your earbuds. There can be (sorry, little bowl) yeast formation and a shitload of bacteria if you keep putting them in and out of your ears into the case and back.

So it’s high time for a little guide: how to handle your earbuds. The easiest tips.

1. First of all: make sure no liquid gets into the earbuds themselves. Especially in the charging ports, as they are not waterproof. Joe.

2. Apple suggests using a dry, soft, lint-free cloth to clean your earbuds. To clean the mesh of the microphone and speaker (the spots where most dirt accumulates), the company recommends using a dry cotton swab.

3. Microfiber cloths used for cleaning glasses also seem to work great.

4. Okay, very dirty but really: dirt and earwax will sooner or later get stuck in the mesh of the speakers. If you notice this, use the pointed end of a toothpick. Just be careful not to push the dirt into the speaker.

5. Oh, and a quick note about the case: that thing gets disgusting too. Apple recommends a microfiber cloth and 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. You can just buy this at the drugstore. Again: be careful with the charging openings. A little alcohol on a toothbrush works well too, by the way.

So, now onto the big clean-up.

Image: Kirsten van Santen