What Happens If I Put My Airpods In The Washer? Guide

Asking what happens if I put my AirPods in the washer? Well, nothing good.

When the liquid reaches inside, the AirPods case will be flooded with water leading to internal hardware failures with the device.

In some cases, the AirPods might be able to survive the water without any consequence but let’s see what you’ll need to do when that happens.

In case you’ve accidentally washed your AirPods with or without the case, you’ll need to let them dry for as long as possible. Leave the washed earbud or the entire case open under the sun and connect them to the charger later to test whether they work.

Let’s now learn what happens when you wash your AirPods:

Are The Apple AirPods Waterproof?

To answer the question we should first define “waterproof” and “water-resistant”.

Most people fall under this misconception thinking that their AirPods are waterproof, while they are only sweat and water-resistant.

A waterproof device can withstand being submerged under water for a certain period of time while water-resistant devices can only withstand rain, sweat, and a small amount of water.

There are no waterproof AirPods, yet, and the already-released models are not designed for washing or any water sports. 

The AirPods should not be submerged underwater.

What Happens If I Put My Airpods In The Washer?

When you first realize that you’ve forgotten your AirPods and put them into the washer, it could be quite a stressful experience.

However, with a little luck, they will be as good as they were so don’t be stressed out before you inspect the situation.

When you take out the AirPods from the washer, they would be wet. Whether or not they were inside the case, water would be all over both earbuds and inside the case.

Do NOT attempt to charge the AirPods while the device is wet!

Washed AirPods – Possible Issues:

• AirPods Not Playing Sound
• One AirPod Is Mute
• AirPods Case Is Not Charging
• The Volume Is Lower

It’s likely that the device won’t work while it’s wet. There is also a possibility of causing permanent damage to the device when turning on the AirPods while dry.

You shouldn’t risk this.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to attempt to salvage your AirPods:

How To Fix AirPods After Washing Them?

There is not much that you can do to save your AirPods after they’ve been washed. However, there is one thing you shouldn’t do and it is to test them immediately whether they work or not.

In case you’re wondering what is the best approach, follow the steps below:

1.   Wipe The Water!

The best first move would be to take a dry cloth and wash the entirety of the set.

Make sure to reach into the AirPods case with an ear stick and take as much water as possible.

Cover all areas of the devices focusing on:

• Microphone openings
• Case electricity poles
• The surface of the earbuds

Alert: Make sure not to plug them into the power yet.

2.   Let Them Dry

Allowing your AirPods to completely dry before using the device might be the difference between forgetting that you’ve ever washed them or paying for a repair.

The AirPods should not be used or inserted into the case before the hardware is completely dry.

To completely dry your AirPods should be left for at least 24 hours!

If you’re just taking them out of the shower, remove them from the casing and position the earbuds under the sun.

3.   Charge The AirPods

Since the earbuds are not the only component that would be impacted by the water flooding, your case also requires your attention.

The most crucial factor is whether the case will start charging the AirPods when you attempt to.

In case the charging works just fine, feel free to test whether the AirPods will not emit sound and if everything works normally.

4.   Use Sound To Remove Water

Sadly the AirPods don’t have the Apple Watch feature to play a vibrating sound to remove liquids from the inside.

Once when your AirPods are dry and charge you can find a water-removal sound online to play at a high volume on your earbuds.

It’s not guaranteed how well that would work, but many users share that it actually helps.

Note: For a problem with the AirPods after washing, you’ll need to contact Apple for further assistance with resolving the issue.

How To Prevent Washing AirPods?

We all know how easy it is to put your earbuds in the washer. You come back tired, you hurry into the bathroom and throw your jeans into the washer without noticing the AirPods in the pocket.

We realize this only after the AirPods have been washed.

In case your earbuds survived the first submerge, they might not be able to do the same the next time.

This is why you’ll need to do the following never to allow that again:

1. Keep Track of Your AirPods

It’s important to determine a permanent place for your AirPods case.

Never leave the earbuds out of the case when you’re not using them and position them in the same place when you come home each day.

This way you won’t wash them again.

2. Check Your Pockets!

Grab the outer surface of your pockets each time you’re about to throw something in the laundry.

In case you don’t, the next time you might wash your smartphone!

3. Use Find My iPhone

When you lose your AirPods, it’s better to use the “Find My iPhone” app to locate where the device is.

This feature should help find out whether the AirPods are in the washer.

What About WaterProof Cases?

Yes, this might be a solution if you frequently lose track of your AirPods. Indeed, there are waterproof cases that you find on Amazon with prices starting from $11.

The waterproof cases are mainly designed from plastic and silicone that help keep the water out.

Some companies are so confident that they even include a clip to attach the AirPods case to your clothes.

However, you can never be certain of third-party developers in regard to water-proof design and durability.

Don’t be surprised when you find out that the water-proof case is not that water-proof.

Tip: The best tip is not to wash your AirPods.

How Much A Repair Costs For Washed AirPods?

The repair costs depend on how severe the problem is.

After washing your AirPods the could be quite a few different problems, which can be considered to determine the repair costs.

To understand better how much it would cost, answer the following questions:

1. Do the AirPods work?
2. Do they charge normally?
3. Is the audio the same?

Apple is offering a variety of options, based on the damage caused to the device:

• For extensive damage, you’ll be looking at about $150 for the complete replacement.
• With partial damage impacting only one component, the price could be as low as $60.

Keep in mind that for washed AirPods your warranty won’t cover anything.

Sadly, this is your mistake and in case the AirPods are broken, an extra payment will be necessary.

Quick Recap:

Hence, when the AirPods are left in the washer, users need to soak the water using a dry cloth and allow the earbuds and case to completely dry before using. Later the functionality has to be tested by charging the AirPods and playing music.

Wrapping Up:

Now we know what happens if I put my AirPods in the washer.

The conclusion is that sometimes your AirPods might survive without any consequence, while on other occasions the washer might be lethal to your earbuds.

Sadly Apple still doesn’t have waterproof AirPods released so that’s what we should be expecting in future Apple events.

We hope that this post was helpful and to find more relevant content, check our online blog!