Unfortunately, you’ve dropped your AirPods in the swimming pool, bath or maybe they just got left out in the rain. However you got your Airpods wet, is there a way to fix them? Luckily for you, there are several methods of how you can remove water from Airpods and have them working as good as new ones in no time.
Read this article to find out about all of the recommended methods of how to remove water from Airpods and how you can check if there has been no long-lasting damage.
How Do I Dry Airpods After a Splash of Water?
If your AirPods have just got a little bit wet, maybe a few drops of rain then it’s always a good idea to wipe them dry with a lintfree cloth or just some kitchen towel.
Once you have done this you should leave them in a dry place, not in direct heat or sunlight but in a place where they can be slightly warm. This will ensure that if any water has got inside the Airpods, it can evaporate straight out and avoid damaging them.
Apple ensures us not to worry too much about Airpods getting splashed by water, Airpods Pro are actually water-resistant and have a rating of IPX4 which means any splashing of water wouldn’t be damaging, but fully submerging them in water for a long period of time would be.
How do I Dry Airpods After a Splash of Sticky Substance?
If you have accidentally spilt coffee or unclean water on your Airpods then you need to wipe them clean first.
Take a damp cloth or kitchen towel and gently dab the AirPods, paying close attention to the earpiece part, where the sound comes out. If a substance is stuck around there then when dried, it could block the speaker and distort the sound.
Once you have done that then the same applies as above, leave them in a dry and warm place to ensure that any excess water can evaporate out.
What Do I Do If I’ve Fully Submerged My Airpods in Water?
If you have accidentally dropped your Airpods in a large amount of water like a bath or pool then the best reaction is to act quickly, Apple states this is essential in trying to ensure the Airpods will work effectively afterwards.
First, dry them off with a soft cloth or kitchen towel, nothing too abrasive or you could cause damage to the speaker or scratch the outside of the pods.
At this point, you have two choices and this depends on what you have available in your home:
Submerge in a Desiccant
Now, some places might recommend you to submerge your Airpods in rice as this will absorb any excess water. While the method is true, rice is very firm and can cause serious damage to the Airpods.
To achieve the same effect of absorption, consider using some desiccants instead. This could be silica gel for example as this is soft and won’t cause any damage to the Airpods.
Add the desiccants to a container and lay the AirPods on top and then add a few more desiccants on top. The gel will absorb the excess water but ensure that you don’t put a lid on the container otherwise the water can’t escape.
Leave them like this for a few hours in a warm environment, never in direct sunlight though, and the desiccants should be able to absorb any leftover water in the Airpods.
Leave in a Warm Environment
If you have just dropped your Airpods in water and don’t have any desiccants, or the time to go and buy any, don’t worry. You can simply follow the steps above to wipe off the excess water first.
Once you have done that, simply leave them in a warm place, this could be a room that gets warm during the day or near a radiator, but not directly on it.
Leave them there for a day or so and then test them out. If you can hear sound normally then they are working fine, if the sound is distorted or crackly then it’s likely that there is some underlying damage that has been done.
How Can I Remove Water From Airpods Using Siri?
Apple are extremely clever and seem to have thought through the possibility that people might end up dropping at least one Airpod in water from time to time.
Airpods have the ability to water eject, yes, physically eject water from the inside out, it’s fascinating.
To enable this you need to download the ‘shortcut gallery’ and have your Airpods paired with an iPhone.
Open the application and look for the button that says ‘water eject’. Be aware that you won’t have the water spraying around the room; it’s more of a slow drip that comes out that you should mop up with a towel.
Repeat this as many times as needed to make sure that all of the water is out and then leave them to dry in a warm place for a few hours.
What Shouldn’t I Do?
As we have mentioned above, never put your Airpods in rice. We understand for phones this is a convenient method to withdraw water out but for Airpods it can be very damaging, stick to using a desiccant instead.
Never leave your Airpods in direct sunlight to dry, the sunbeams will heat them too much and cause the potential water inside to sizzle and fry the Airpods. Or, the pod itself can melt if left in direct sunlight for a long period of time.
Do not just put the airpods back in the case. There are several mechanical parts in the Airpod case and putting wet Airpods in there will simply transfer the water from the Airpods into the case and damage that too. Make sure the Airpods are completely dry before putting them back in the case.
Don’t use your Airpods around water often, and if you need to, purchase a waterproof case for them. If you travel on holiday with your Airpods and use them around the pool or at the beach this can be a great precaution to prevent possible water damage to the pods.
