Clean AirPods After Dropping in Water [Save from Damage]

AirPods are the most popular wireless audio gadget right now. People wear them almost in every situation, such as in the swimming pool, at the beach or even in the shower.

Did you drop them in the water?

In this article, I will explain how you can save them from damage by cleaning the liquid properly.

Let’s have a look, shall we?

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What to Do If You Drop AirPods/AirPods Pro in the Water?

If the AirPods involuntarily make contact with water or other liquid, such as sweat, wipe them with a dry and lint-free microfibre cloth. Exploit the Siri shortcut to expel water droplets trapped in the speaker grill. And to remove moisture completely, use a water-absorbing agent such as silica gel.

See, not all AirPods generation is water resistant. AirPods 3rd generation and AirPods Pro have IPX4 ratings. This implies that AirPods will withstand a splash of water. But if you drop it in the water, you must act quickly. Not to mention it is effective for other AirPods models too.

To give you a better perspective as a long-term AirPods user, I’ve explained several effective methods step by step.

Here is how to clean AirPods/AirPods pro after dropping in water:

1. Wipe with a Dry Cloth

First and foremost, take out the AirPods as quickly as possible. Give them a shake with your hand to dislodge the initial water. Take a soft and dry cloth or a napkin and wipe them carefully.

Make sure you don’t apply too much pressure while wiping. Otherwise, water may penetrate and get inside.

If you drop the AirPods in any sticky liquid, such as juice or soda, first wipe them with a water-soaked cloth. Give a dry wipe afterward.

See our most recent post on can you wear AirPods in the shower.

2. Use Desiccant: Silica Gel

Here me out very carefully; even if you wipe down the AirPods completely dry, they can still get damaged. But why is that?

See, when the AirPods get submerged in liquid, interacting with moisture is inevitable. And if it exists in the units, fungus will grow and ruin the electronics inside.

So how do you eliminate moisture? Do you have to tear down AirPods?

Luckily, desiccants are available to your rescue. They absorb any moisture around them, making the atmosphere dry.

The most common and easily obtainable silica gel is a great moisture absorber. You will find them in electronic goods or in shoe boxes as well. Packed in small packages. Buy them from a hardware store if necessary.

Take a container and put your AirPods in it. Place silica gel all around them. Close the lid of the box. Keep them like this for 3-4 hours.

Note: Do not put the AirPods in a bowl of rice. Dust, statch and other particles may enter and lead to permanent damage.

Also, check out our separate post on AirPods not showing on Homescreen.

3. Remove Water Using Siri Shortcut

There’s another fantastic trick to take out water from the inside of the AirPods without tearing them down. It’s a Siri shortcut called Water Eject. It runs a sound wave and vibration to expel water out of the speaker grills.

Here are the steps to remove water with Siri water eject:

Connect your AirPods to your iPhone.
Navigate to Settings > Bluetooth.
Click on the i icon on your AirPods name.
Toggle Automatic Ear Detection off.
Go to the AppStore and download the Shortcuts app.
Open a browser on your phone and get the Water Eject shortcut.
Tap on Get Shortcut. It will open the Shortcuts app, and Water Eject is listed at the top.
Tap on Water Eject and choose Begin Water Ejection.

With a sound wave and mild vibration, water will come from the available pores. This will make sure you have no leftover liquid inside the AirPods.

Warning: Do not wear AirPods in your ear while ejecting the water. Abnormally high audio frequency may harm your eardrums. Also, water may cause infection.

Follow our guide step-by-step to fix AirPods double tap play/pause not working.