Why Your Earbuds Sound Worse Than The Day You Bought Them - And The Two-Minute Fix

It is not wear and tear, and you do not need to replace a thing.

Remember how crisp and full your earbuds sounded on day one? If the bass has gone thin and the volume feels muffled, you might assume they are simply worn out. They are almost certainly just clogged.

The tiny mesh grille over each speaker is a magnet for earwax, dust, and pocket lint. A layer you can barely see is enough to muffle the sound and rob you of the low end you paid for.

Grab a dry soft toothbrush and gently sweep across the mesh with the buds facing down so debris falls out, not in. A little dab of adhesive putty pressed onto the grille lifts out whatever the brush leaves behind.

Two minutes of careful cleaning and the difference can be startling. The sound you thought you lost forever was hiding under a film of grime the whole time.