We all like our airpods to look as smooth and neat as when we first bought them every time. But, over time, dirt will start to accumulate on them.
Things like earwax, dust, or just some random blot from nowhere, will eventually show up on your airpods, and of course, you’d want to wipe it off.
You shouldn’t clean your airpods with Nail polish remover because of its chemical components, which attack the plastic casing of the airpods. Acetone, the main component of nail polish removers, causes irreparable damage to the polycarbonate plastic casing of airpods. The quality of the plastic is permanently affected, and the airpods are ruined altogether.
Can You Use Nail Polish Remover to Clean Airpods?
It is not advised to use nail polish remover to wipe any plastic, including the one covering airpods. It wears out the casing, reducing quality.
The chemical, Acetone is a component of all brands of nail polish remover, and it’s the main cause of the plastic casing getting worn out.
Cleaning your airpods with nail polish remover makes the neatness the least of your worries and might ultimately cause you to buy new airpods.
It doesn’t start showing signs in the early stages of using the nail polish remover, but after a few times, you’ll notice discoloration and blots.
These patches appearing on your airpods are not cleanable because they are chemical reaction products.
Chemical reactions are irreversible. This chemical reaction damages your airpods, and that beats the whole point of cleaning them in the first place.
Most nail polish removers are dilute forms of acetone, which dissolves plastics and coatings.
Using nail polish remover means you have permanently changed the chemical composition of the plastic. There is no fix, only replacement.
What Can I Use to Clean My Airpods
The first thing to know when cleaning your airpods is never to run your airpods underwater. You can use a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
To kill any germs that might have accumulated on your airpods, the Apple FAQs say wiping the exterior surfaces with some chemicals is fine.
Chemicals like 70-percent isopropyl alcohol wipes or a Clorox disinfecting wipe. It would be advised to avoid using an oversaturated wipe.
If the wipe is oversaturated, moisture can get into any airpods openings.
Also, regardless of how linty and disgusting your airpods may be, do not submerge them in any cleaning products.
Your Airpods may be exposed to something that causes stains or damage. Some instances are sunscreen, oil, hair dye, perfumes, lotions, acids, or acidic foods:
In such a case, wipe them gently with a damp cloth using fresh water and wipe using a soft, dry cloth.
Ensure that no liquid flows into the openings while you’re cleaning. Use a dry cotton swab to wipe the microphone and speaker meshes.
Note that you should not use sharp or abrasive materials to clean your airpods.
If there’s water gathered in the ear tip, tap the airpod on a soft, dry cloth with the opening of the ear tip turned down to remove water.
Take out the ear tips from both airpods and rinse the ear tips with water. Do not use soap or cleaners.
Clean the ear tips with a soft, dry cloth, then ensure they’re well-dried before reattaching them to the airpods. You can buy a cleaning kit if you want the perfect cleaning tools for your airpods.
How Do You Clean Wax Out of Airpods?
Cleaning earwax out of your airpods might appear risky, as you would not want to damage the speaker meshes.
You must follow careful procedures.
#1. Get Dry Cotton Swabs
Cotton swabs are just about the only safe thing that can fit in the ear opening, and they’re just the right fit.
Compared to cotton wool, cotton on swabs is just the right amount, preventing cotton residue from getting stuck in the speaker meshes.
Wipe the opening gently with the tip of the cotton swab, don’t press too hard to prevent the ear wax from slipping through the mesh.
After wiping the opening, you can clean the mesh with the unused side of the cotton swab, effectively cleaning out the earwax.
You can use another cotton swab to gently dab the mesh to get rid of any wax that might’ve remained.
#2. Get a Soft-Bristled Brush
A small brush can dust out the dried earwax with no risk if done carefully, and don’t use too much pressure on the brush.
#3. Use a Fun-Tak
A Fun-Tak is a reusable, repositionable adhesive convenient for cleaning out earwax from airpods.
To remove the wax stuck in the holes of the speaker mesh of your airpods, get a small piece of it, and stretch it a little first to warm it up.
Then press it against the speaker several times, picking up the wax from the meshes.
The adhesive nature of a Fun-Tak is essential. If you don’t have one at your disposal, you can buy a Fun-Tak.
#4. Use a Toothpick
Although it might seem unconventional, using a toothpick to get earwax out of your speaker meshes is very effective.
Its pointy end allows you to pick out earwax from every hole in the mesh and make it look as clean as new.
You can also use it to scrape dried gunk from the sides of the meshes, not just ear wax but some other things wedged in there, too.
Now that you know these ways to clean out earwax from your airpods safely do not indulge in any methods that put your airpods at risk. You wouldn’t want to buy a new one, would you?
Does Nail Polish Remover Damage Plastic?
Nail polish does indeed damage plastic, but not all kinds of plastic. Nail polish remover contains Acetone, an organic compound that attacks plastic.
If you were to put acetone on plastic, there’s a chance that it would eat through the plastic. It depends on the kind of plastic you put it on.
Some plastics are stronger than others. In the case of airpods, they’re made of Polycarbonate plastic material, which is weak against acetone.
The chemical makeup of polycarbonate is too similar to acetone. Acetone will damage the surface by softening it, smearing it, or dissolving it.
Applying acetone to polycarbonate will eventually cause blots on its surface, discoloration, and softness, and after a while, holes begin to form.
This results from the acetone reacting with polycarbonate attempting to displace it as the original chemical components.
The process may take some time, depending on the plastic acetone used. Some plastics have resistance higher than or similar to polycarbonate.
Plastics are grouped into four according to their resistance to acetone:
| Resistance to Acetone | Plastics |
|---|---|
| High resistance | FEP, PFA, ETFE, ECTFE, PCTFE, PEEK, Polypropylene |
| Good resistance | Ulltem, Radell, Polyethylene. |
| Fair resistance | Acetal. |
| Poor resistance | PVDF, Polycarbonate, Polysulfone, Cast Acrylic, PVC, CPVC. |
You should avoid putting Acetone on poor-resistance plastic to prevent damage. Instead, you can buy plastic cleaners. To learn more about acetone, click here.
How to Get Nail Polish off Airpods Case
The easiest and most effective way to clean nail polish off your airpods case is by rubbing alcohol.
Rubbing alcohol, also called Isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol, is one of the best nail polish removers, and it’s a safer option than acetone.
Small amounts of rubbing alcohol can be used on most plastics. It’s better to use plain rubbing alcohol than nail polish remover with other components.
Some nail polish removers put out Isopropanol as the main component, but it is not recommended as it may contain other chemicals harmful to plastic.
If the polish is fresh on your airpods case, you must first get a soft, dry cloth and wipe most of it off before applying isopropanol to clean to paint left.
Use a ball of cotton with isopropanol on it to gently wipe the paint off, then clean the area with a damp towel to remove any remaining chemicals.
On the other hand, if the polish has hardened on the surface of your airpods case, isopropanol takes a little more time to wipe it off.
Apply isopropanol to a cotton ball and wipe the area continuously till most or all of the paint comes off. Don’t apply lots of pressure when wiping.
If there’s still polish left behind, apply isopropanol on another cotton ball, wipe continuously, and clean with water. Repeat this until the paint is gone.
It is not advised to scrape the paint off if it has already hardened, as you may damage the plastic of your airpods case.
In your attempt to scrape the polish off your airpods case, you might leave scratches on its surface, and no amount of cleaning will get those off.
If you’re looking for a cleaning agent for your airpods case, you can buy some isopropanol.
Summary
Your airpods and airpods cases are made from delicate plastic and should be handled with utmost care to prolong their lifespan and retain their quality.
Clean them regularly to avoid permanent stains, and you can also use protective cases to protect them from external factors.
Also, avoid putting your airpods where accidents like spills and scratches can happen.
