Belkin has released a kit that will help you address the biggest problem when using your AirPods: earwax buildup.
The seemingly simple and safe-to-use kit will allow you to remove wax and other dirt that has built up on your favorite headphones, and Belkin claims its tools will return them to their former glory in terms of looks and audio performance so you no longer you need to be bothered by them.
The Belkin AirPods Cleaning Kit is compatible with the base models of Apple AirPods: Apple AirPods, Apple AirPods 2, and Apple AirPods 3, and comes with four components. There's an earwax softener, cleaning gel, microfiber cloth, and cleaning brush to help remove dirt from the earphone ports.
The kit is currently only available in the US from the official Belkin store (opens in a new tab), for $14,99 (about $12,50 / AU$22), but we're waiting for what Belkin release it to other regions of the world. too far future. Is it something we should all rush to buy?
Analysis: Do you really need to clean your headphones?
We'll all agree that our headphones need the occasional cleaning, but do you really need a complete kit to clean them? Well, as much as it sounds like one of those useless add-ons stores try to sell you, the Belkin Airpods Cleaning Kit might be more vital than you think.
Whether you use a dedicated kit or one you put together yourself with a brush, cotton swabs, and some sort of safe cleaning solution, we all need to clean our headphones regularly, especially if they're an expensive pair of the best headphones you don't plan on replace regularly.
From a performance standpoint, dirt buildup can make headphones sound dull and less powerful than they started out. By clearing the ports, you can restore the audio quality of your headphones, but you'll need to be careful not to damage the headphones. We recommend that you avoid metal tools, and if you use substances such as alcohol to speed up your cleaning, use it sparingly, as the liquid that gets inside the buds could cause more problems than it solves.
Performance issues aside, it's important to clean your headphones from time to time (about once a week) to help keep your ears healthy, too.
While most of us don't think to put on a pair of headphones, we do place a foreign object inside our body. And just as you wouldn't want to use a dirty knife or fork to eat, you shouldn't insert dirty headphones into your ears.
For this reason, it's generally a good idea to clean your headphones, including by rubbing them well with an alcohol wipe, about once a week if you want to reduce the risk of an ear infection. And if you're wearing a pair of the best workout headphones and you're working up a sweat, you might want to clean them more often.
Today's best Apple Airpods deals
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