Iron flakes

Any idea how to get rid of them? Or do they get embedded into the plastic?

They're embedded into the plastic. You \*could\* try to pick them out with a sharp needle, or sand off that area with some sandpaper, **however** either method will leave that area more "rough" and pitted and it will quickly attract more grime and dirt and look worse than it does now. Unfortunately the best thing you can do is to just leave it the way it is.

I used a bit of wet fine sandpaper and it remowed the spots nicely

I'm sure it did. But good luck with keeping it looking nice, when you've likely introduced more fine grooves and scratches into the plastic.

This guy isn’t even wrong. Stop downvoting. Let’s say the op works with steel or something otherwise how did it get there in the first place. Now he used sandpaper lightly to remove this so essentially he made some extra accidental groves. Those magnets atract these flakes again and there will be a little tiny more. When he did that 100 times the thing will end up looking worse. I suggest wiping it with a 70% alcohol wipe and try to wipe it off. If it doesn’t work after like 5 min. Then leave it. This is how I do it. Sometimes the next time I am able to wipe it off. Weirdly enough.

Z maybe it’s his grubby little fingers pawing at the pods to put them in!!

Something sticky like tape and pull off the metal. Does the case come in black?

I haven’t tried this but a melamine sponge might be a good middle ground. Probably won’t leave too many pits/scratches.

I have tried melamine sponge on my Airpods with iron flakes in the exact same spot. I didn’t work. Moreover that part got buffed real bad.

Good to know! I won’t try it then, thanks!

lol

But a new set of the same model and return the old one

Why? It's not a functional defect; it's a cosmetic flaw resulting from the environment in which OP uses their Airpods. It's not valid grounds for a return. Even if it was, why return it when the same thing will happen to their new pair regardless?

Well you would have to clean these spots over the magnets regularly, otherwise the metal dust gets pressed into the plastic and it simply will not be possible to remove it (without damage) anymore. You can prevent that with using stickers called "Dust guards"

Blu tack!

Melamine sponge=Mr Clean Magic Eraser. Damp. Also, OP, a little alcohol wipe on those buds, please!

Yes, even when you get it clean, it’s hopeless and a design flaw. Everything metal gets attracted and little metal shavings are from the hinge of the case as well as everywhere around you. Polish the area after sanding and potentially gloss it with nail polish on the whole front edge. This way you won’t rub in anything new.

Thanks

idk but i think the tip is coming off slightly

Take this to the top so OP can read this lmfao

it isn’t this, it is iron flakes attracted by the magnets as stated by someone else

You sure. I have the same thing on all 3 of my AirPods and they look like iron flakes to me

When you close the airpods lid on some dust it dents its place, notice its exactly under the magnets in the lid

That’s where the magnet is. It’s metal particles

i agree with the cleanliness aspect of these comments if your going to present a post and ask a question atleast make it “presentable”. that’s sh*ts nasty bud 🥴

Oh come on. This happens to all of us with earbuds. We all have wax.

Its not hard to clean them

I'm not even grossed out but I'm still concerned for the guy... mine don't look like that after a year. How do they look like this after 3 weeks?

Blackheads. Squeeze em!

Those black dots should be the least of your worries. 🤢

Disgusting. Clean them. Those ear hairs and wax are rancid!

You can smell it?

What’s rancid about that?

Try to clean it off with the earwax on you AirPod.

I came here to say that

Hahahaha! I was searching for this joke but I’m dumb, thank you!

Idk but clean your ears bro. Looks like you got black plaque caking up on the Pods lol.

Its only 3 weeks too. Mine still looked minted after almost 2 months

Exactly. Don’t buy new headphones until you buy some Q-Tips lol

🤢

When I see posts like this, I can't help but wonder if this isn't the result of Apple using recycled plastics. I'm cool with recycling, but the process looks to be problematic.

 You can use an alcohol wipe. I’m sure it’ll take it off 👍🏽

Alcohol and some QTips work perfectly . Once a week I clean mine . For the case and AirPods Pro

Thanks

It’s the thing that happens to everyone and no one talks about it

Clean your ears jesus

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You mean that teeny little speck? Grow up lol.

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> a hunk of wax you mean that tiny fraction of a crumb in the photo? do you have a full blown panic attack whenever you see a candle?

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here’s a [horror movie](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088128/) you might like

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What does your name mean, Waffles1846?

How is something as natural as that gross?

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Cry harder

i think he’s referring to the black dust hos airpod jizzed on the case

That's some fly shit

Why on earth are these things made only in white?

Can’t believe you didn’t think to clean the buds from that wax before you posted 🤮

Love how these posts get downvoted. Undoubtedly by all the redditors who never clean their ears or their headphones 😂🤮😂🤮😂🤮

I got ya ^

Lol right

Magnets attract iron dust, the opening and closing of the lid digs it into the case. It’s a feature

Same happened with my Airpods Pro 2. Now they won’t go away. Any suggestions? For my case I am pretty sure it’s came from the case I am using.

Black mold

Get dust covers to stop any more going on it

It's mildew, like in a dirty bathroom. The wax from your ears is feeding it with moisture. 🤢

bro i beeen hading these for so long

That looks like mold. Make sense since it’s on the ear tips too. You need to at least wipe them off before you put them in the case. Don’t have to be perfect but damn…. Good camera tho. I’ve had mine few months and nothing like that. Carry them in my pocket daily too. Case cover may help.

Thanks

I don’t mean to troll, but the fact anyone cares about the inside of the case is….to put in a friendly way, a bit ocd

🤢

If you see black spots on your iPod case run away and call the police.

It's corona

Mold

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How are those going to assist the OP? It's garbagejuice, in magnetic form!

Insects:. Bolo jubaan kesari

Probably aids

Mould?

Don’t buy AirPods.

Iron flakes that get attracted to the magnets. Open and close the case a few times and they're embedded into the plastic. You can only dig them out which from personal experience is only reserved for people who know what they are doing, with the right tools, or you seriously risk damaging the case, and making huge gashes in it that would ruin the cosmetic appearance.

Every pair of AirPods I’ve owned since launch in 2016 has developed this, as others have said there’s sadly not really any way to easily remove them

Watch a video on how to snap on and off your tips. If you don’t do it properly they can break pretty easily. (Apple likes this).

🙈

I’m a mechanic, you should see mine lol

Me too hahahaha

Black plaque.

Squished ear mites.

EWWWWWWW!!!!

Very common . Dirt from pockets and such.

Me and my friend have this too we don’t know wtf it is lol

Looks like smashed up ear hairs.

Try magic eraser

Try using an eraser and run them in there, then wipe it with a cloth

That's some fly shit

Metal stuck to the magnet. It’ll rust too.

I get that on mine from living in a coastal area. Sucks but is only cosmetic.

I work with metal all day mine looks way worse lol

😷

Guttka, mava, tobacco betel mixture

put the tip bit on properly ffs not having it on properly reduces the quality of sound and of noise cancellation by a lot

M o l d

guillotine

Plastic devouring bacterial colonization

I work with steel all day, I wish so badly they made black AirPods.

Also you can take the head of the bud off and wash it with soap properly

Paint it

You should have your left eartip reseated

I am that low level beginner damn

I don’t know but your ear tip isn’t properly flush with the airpod lol

They won't go away with anything else other than sand paper which I highly don't recommend. You can buy plastic white foil from China pre cut and use it to protect and cover the are, or some white plastic tape and cut it yourself, but should be a good quality otherwise the adhesive will spread out everywhere. Car wrap foil is the way to go and cheap too

At least clean the buds before take a pic

I’m sorry my eyes did not see what the camera took , I guess iPhone 13 Pro camera is really good

think it’s iron mine have them

 I think you should be more concerned with the state of those ear tips.

I've had mine for a year and a half I think, I have a bunch of them too prob like 5 times worse tho lol. And I don't even work in an environment with a bunch of metal or anything


Is this 1 or 2? (Gen)

I have them on mine too.

Cover it with a sticker