AirPods Speaker Cleaner (Gentle)
Earbuds are not phones: the drivers are tiny and the mesh is delicate. The sound below helps shake water and loose dust from AirPods โ at moderate volume, never maximum.
Last reviewed: November 2026 ยท Sound guidance checked against Apple, Google and Samsung support documentation.
๐ Speaker Cleaner โ tap play
IMPORTANT for earbuds: set volume to about half, place the buds mesh-down on a soft cloth (NOT in your ears), then play. The Deep Clean Sweep at moderate volume is the right mode here.
Set your volume to maximum, unplug headphones, and hold the phone speaker facing down.
How to use it
- Take the AirPods out of the case and place them mesh-down on a dry, soft cloth โ not in anyone's ears.
- Set the volume to roughly half. Earbud drivers are tiny; they do not need, and should not get, full blast.
- Play the Deep Clean Sweep from this page (connect the AirPods to the device playing it).
- Wipe the mesh gently with a dry cotton swab, rolling it โ never poke or press hard.
- Let them air-dry fully before returning them to the case or charging.
Good to know
- Apple's own care guidance: clean the mesh with a dry cotton swab, do not use sharp objects, liquids or compressed air on the mesh, and never run AirPods under water.
- Water resistance on AirPods Pro models is sweat-and-splash level, not for showers or swimming โ and it decreases with wear.
- The speaker on the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) case can also collect dust; a dry swab is all it needs โ do not play cleaning sounds through the case speaker.
Frequently asked questions
Can this damage my AirPods?
At moderate volume, no โ it is ordinary playback. The risks with earbuds come from excessive volume and from poking the mesh, both of which this guide avoids.
One AirPod is much quieter than the other.
That is the classic clogged-mesh pattern. Clean that bud's mesh with a dry swab, run the sweep again, and check the audio balance in your device's Accessibility settings.
Related tools & guides
Cleaner by Phone Brand
Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Pixel, vivo, OPPO, realme and AirPods.
Water Eject Sound
The universal 165 Hz eject cycle every brand page uses.
Clean a Phone Speaker
The safe brush method, step by step.
Fix a Muffled Speaker
Still dull after cleaning? Work through the other causes.