How to clean wireless earbuds and the case, step by step
Why it matters
In-ear buds sit in your ear for hours every day. Wax and dust build up on the driver mesh and the tips, and the sound turns muffled and weaker, usually on one side first. Dried sweat and dust gather on the charging contacts, and the bud stops charging in the case.
Many "broken" earbuds just need cleaning. Five minutes a week keeps their sound and battery.
What you need
A soft, dry microfibre cloth. A soft, dry brush, such as a new soft toothbrush. Cotton buds. Warm water and a little liquid soap, for the silicone tips only.
What you do not use: sharp objects such as pins or toothpicks in the driver mesh; compressed air straight into the mesh; water or other liquids on the body of the bud; solvents and harsh disinfectants.
The silicone tips
Take the tips off by pulling gently at their base, not their edge. Wash them in warm water with a little soap, rub the inside gently with your fingers, rinse them and let them dry completely on a cloth before you put them back. A wet tip lets water reach the driver.
When tips lose their shape, tear or no longer seal, replace them. The Buds4 come with three tip sizes in the box and spares are sold separately; the Free7 have four sizes, XS included.
The driver mesh
With the tip off, hold the bud mesh-down and brush it gently with the dry brush, so the dirt falls out rather than going deeper. Do not press: the mesh is fine and can bend.
If the wax has hardened, go over it again with the brush after a few minutes. Do not push anything sharp into the mesh and do not put liquid on it. If the sound is still muffled after cleaning, write to us.
The charging contacts and the case
On each bud and inside the case there are small metal contacts the current passes through. Wipe them with a dry cotton bud or the cloth until they shine. If a bud stops charging, they are the first place to look.
In the case, shake out dust and lint and run a dry cotton bud around the bud slots. Wipe the outside of the case with the cloth. Clean the USB-C port only with a dry brush, with the cable out.
How often
A quick wipe of the buds and contacts: after every workout, and a few times a week if you wear them daily. Washing the tips and brushing the mesh: once a week. Cleaning the case: once a month or when you see dust.
Sport buds such as the GOJ05 have a housing made to be rinsed after heavy sessions; the others are cleaned with the cloth only.
Open-ear and hook buds
Open-ear buds have no tips, so they are easier to clean: wipe the body and the hook with a soft, slightly damp cloth, then a dry one, and brush the driver mesh gently. After sport, wipe especially the part that rests on your skin, where sweat collects.
Hooks with a flexible core, as on the GOG100, are not bent during cleaning: wipe them in their shape, without straightening them.
Signs it is time to clean
The sound seems muffled or weaker than it was. One bud is quieter than the other. A bud no longer charges or the case does not recognise it. The tips look dull, sticky or have visible wax. When you see any of these signs, do a full clean with the steps above.
Every model is in the shop, under true wireless earbuds.