Apple AirPods can get filthy— this washing machine for wireless earbuds cleans them

News
By
published

The Cardlax EarBuds Washer turns your AirPods into laundry

Apple AirPods Washing Machine
(Image credit: Cardlax/Kickstarter)

Apple AirPods Pro owners will forever have to deal with one gross problem — earwax. That's hardly the fault of Apple's popular wireless earbuds — or any of the best earbuds for that matter — but there's now a special washing machine that cleans up that problem.

The Cardlax EarBuds Washer is a bizarre washing machine designed to clean and polish your AirPods. It's currently a crowdfunded project on Kickstarter but has already surpassed its $5,000 goal with over 5,200 backers and nearly $70,000 pledged. 

Spotted by Digital Trends, the Cardlax EarBuds Washer is powered via USB-C and is equipped with a soft brush and a built-in makeup sponge soaked in a cleaning solution that will clean your AirPods in as little as two minutes.

The brush tool cleans the inside of the earbuds, while the actual washing machine part of the device uses a rotating sponge dosed in an "anti-bacterial" spray that claims to attach and absorb all that disgusting goo and particles. While it looks like a fun and nifty device to use, we suspect the brush tool does a majority of the cleaning up.

The washer isn't just for Apple's popular earbuds, as it's also compatible with Samsung products such as the Galaxy Buds Pro, Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds, Jaybird, Jabra, ECHO, and 99% of other wireless earbuds. Strangely, there's no mention of Sony's WF-1000xM3. Perhaps those headphones make up the 1%.

If you prefer a miniature washing machine to get rid of nasty gunk, the Cardlax EarBuds Washer can be nabbed from $33 with an early bird offer, with shipping fees ranging from $6 to $15. You'll be able to get your hands on one around June. But, as with all things on Kickstarter, it pays to be skeptical.

Since the rumoured Apple AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 are expected to have similar form factors to their predecessors, the EarBuds Washer at least has some longevity if you're looking to keep all your wireless earphones in mint condition down the line. Or, you know, cotton buds also work. 

Darragh Murphy
Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.