Your AirPods are probably disgusting — here's how to clean them (AAPL)

Apple Airpods

If you wear your Apple AirPods on a regular basis, chances are they're long overdue for a cleaning.
You can clean your AirPods using rubbing alcohol and some household items as long as you're careful.

You probably wouldn't wear the same outfit day after day without tossing it in the laundry, just like you wouldn't eat off of the same fork without washing it. But most people probably can't say the same for their earbuds.

When Business Insider swabbed 22 pairs of earbuds last year to see what types of germs might be residing on them, Columbia's microbiology lab found that two samples had grown yeast and one sample had grown a type of bacteria associated with dirt. While that test did not include Apple's AirPods, it's still in your best interest to keep yours clean.

See below for tips and tricks on how to clean your AirPods. Be careful to avoid getting liquid in any of the AirPods' openings, especially the charging ports, since they're not water resistant.

First let's start with the individual AirPods. We'll get to the case later.

Apple suggests using a dry, soft, lint-free cloth to clean your AirPods. To clean the microphone and speaker meshes, which is probably where most of the wax accumulates, the company advises using a dry cotton swab. Apple also says you can remove debris from the meshes with a clean and dry soft-bristled brush and warns not to use sharp or abrasive objects.