People who own Apple AirPods, or any earphones, are being urged to clean them as soon as possible in an alarming health warning. In comes as a new study found traces of harmful bacteria on AirPods that hadn’t been cleaned often enough by their users.
Leading audiologists from The Hearing Care Partnership found shocking results of different types of bacteria that could be living on your earphones in the study. The research included a professional swab test of a typical pair of used earphones.
Experts uncovered six types of bacteria that could be found if you don’t clean your earphones enough. These included:
1. E. Coli
A common microorganism which can be found in many household environments which can be harmful and cause food poisoning. Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and occasionally fever. About half of people with the infection will have bloody diarrhoea.
People usually notice symptoms 3 to 4 days after they have been infected. But symptoms can start any time between 1 and 14 days afterwards. These symptoms can last up to 2 weeks.
2. Staphylococcus Aureus
A pathogenic bacteria that can cause skin and respiratory infections. This bacteria is responsible for causing acne, folliculitis and even boils. Symptoms of a staph skin infection can include:
- A painful red lump or bump on the skin
- Hot, red and swollen skin
- Sores, crusts or blisters
- Sore, red eyelids or eyes
Staph bacteria can also cause more serious infections, like blood poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. These are much less common than skin infections.
3. Bacillus Cereus
Commonly found in soil and food. Some variants can be harmful and cause food poisoning. Foods such as rice, cereals and spices often contain this organism as can spoil milk and cream from cattle with teat infections. It produces spores that survive heat processing. It grows rapidly at room temperature producing toxins, both in the food and after it is eaten.
4. Clostridium perfringens
The third most common cause of food poisoning in the UK and is usually found on cooked food that has been left out to cool for too long. It is typically found in soil and the stools of most animals.
The spores can survive in most conditions, including cooking and the organism is therefore found in some cold meats. It grows slowly below 15C and produces a toxin. This causes symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhoea and nausea between 8 and 24 hours after infection.
5. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas is a group of bacteria commonly found in the environment, like in soil and water. The most common type causing infections among humans is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa can cause infections in the blood, lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract or other parts of the body after surgery.
The bacteria is also usually found on cockroaches and in their faecal droppings and can be easily spread on items that get contaminated easily and are not properly cleaned.
6. Faecal streptococci and enterococci
Usually found in human intestines, the presence of this bacteria usually indicates faecal matter contamination on surfaces. Enterococci can be resistant to Vancomycin, which is a type of antibiotic, and other antibiotics used to treat infections.
If you have tested positive for Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE), this means that you have the bacteria within your body. You may not show any symptoms (colonisation), the bacteria are living harmlessly in your bowels without causing illness.
If they get into other parts of the body, such as a wound, urine, or blood, they can cause an infection requiring treatment and then you may feel unwell.
How to clean your Airpods:
With that being said, experts at The Hearing Care Partnership have compiled a step-by-step guide on how to properly clean your Airpods without damaging them. They say to start by wiping your airpods down with a clean cloth .
They added: “When cleaning your airpods, ensure that you wipe them down with a clean, dry cloth as this is the most effective way to prevent oil build up without causing any damage. Make sure you thoroughly clean all parts of the ear piece, including the outer surface and the handle as these are often the parts many neglect.
“If your airpod has ended up in a grimy place, like the bottom of a bag or has collected dust overtime and you want to disinfect them, clean the exterior with a non-abrasive disinfectant like sanitising wipes. Avoid direct contact with the speaker mesh when wiping, as leaving this area damp can not only cause damage to your airpods, but can become a breeding ground for bacteria.”
The experts then recommend gently cleaning the speaker mesh with a cotton bud . They said: “Applying too much pressure can actually push the dirt further into airpods and cause damage to the speaker mesh itself. Using a dry cotton bud, gently remove the wax build up from the speaker mesh in a circular motion until clean.”
They also suggest brushing away any dirt and debris with a soft bristled brush and to use a lightly damped cloth toremove any moisture . “Face the airpod down when brushing as this may help the wax or debris to fall away from the surface instead of back into the speaker mesh.
“Whether you’re at the gym or going about your daily activities, your airpods are exposed to moisture and bodily fluids such as sweat or body lotion, which could cause your ear canal to become irritated and lead to an ear infection if not cleaned properly.”