You see them everywhere, dangling from people’s ears as they grab a coffee or run for a train. Apple’s AirPods have become the equivalent of the Sony Walkman in the 1980s: the way we listen to music on the go. (Other brands are available.)

Yet they have proved our family’s most unreliable Apple product by far. We’ve had four sets failing, and friends report a similar experience. The issue is the same: barely any sound coming from one AirPod while the other is playing normally. Today, I made the familiar trek to the Apple Store to get my son Owen’s faulty AirPod replaced. This is his third AirPod failure in 14 months.

Needless to say, Apple makes this very easy, and I was on my way in 25 minutes with the replacement. Perhaps more importantly, I was given an explanation for the failures that, with luck, will help us avoid another failure. I hope so…

It’s all down to dirt collecting on the mesh of the AirPod buds, which then works its way through to the actual AirPod. Regular cleaning is the answer – the guy at the Apple Store Genius Bar recommended lightly dabbing the AirPod mesh with some Blu Tack, to remove the dirt. (I have not tried this yet, so take care if you follow this advice.) He also recommended replacing the buds every now and again. I was given a replacement as the faulty AirPod could not be repaired. Apple’s website gives further cleaning advice here.

It seems that AirPods are very sensitive and vulnerable to dirt, so it makes sense to keep them clean. And if you’re experiencing any issues, do take them along to your nearest Apple Store, especially if you are close to the end of any warranty period. (Although Apple did replace my three year old AirPods last year free of charge.)

Apple Store cupboards around the world must be overflowing with replacement AirPods!