You washed your Beats earbuds. Here's what to do right now.
Beats are built for workouts, so they shrug off sweat. But IPX4 is splash resistance, not a wash rating. Move fast, then be patient. Here's the honest playbook: what actually helps, why rice doesn't, and what your water rating really covers.
Do this in the next 60 seconds
Don't put them in your ears, and don't hit play. Powering a wet earbud is the fastest way to finish it off.
Open the case and take both buds out. Leave the lid open. Water trapped in a closed case just sits against the electronics.
Dry the outside gently. A soft cloth. Don't jam anything into the mesh or the charging contacts, or you'll push water deeper.
Do NOT put them back in the case to charge. Charging a wet earbud or case can short it for good. Wait until everything is fully dry.
Dry them in cool, moving air, or with silica-gel packets. Not rice, not a hairdryer. Then give it a few days before you test.
Now the honest part
About your Beats' rating. Most Beats buds are IPX4, which covers sweat and splashes, not immersion, and the charging case is not rated. Beats is owned by Apple, so like AirPods, water damage is not covered by the standard warranty. Every one of those numbers is tested in clean, still water, not a hot, soapy, spinning wash. Here's why a washer beats any water rating.
Rice is mostly a myth. It's slow, and the starch and dust can work into the mesh and contacts. Silica-gel packets pull moisture far better, and plain dry air does about the same job as rice.
Time does the real work. Leave them completely alone for 2 to 3 days before you test. Most people check too early and kill a set that might have come back.
Replacement and coverage. A replacement bud or case typically runs $50 to $100 or more, and AppleCare+ may reduce an accidental-damage fee if you have it.
The quirk with these. Because Beats live in gym bags and pockets, they get washed a lot. IPX4 handles your sweat all day, but it was never tested against a hot, soapy, spinning cycle.
Save the steps before you need them again
Get the free one-page Wash Rescue Guide: the exact checklist for earbuds, plus phones, hearing aids, watches, and key fobs. Keep it handy for the next time something ends up in a pocket.
No spam. We'll also let you know when WashDog launches.
Quick answers
Do Beats work after the washer?
Sometimes. It comes down to how long they were wet, whether you charged them too soon, and luck. Dry them for a few days before you judge, and don't charge them wet.
My Beats survive sweat. Won't they survive a wash?
Sweat resistance is exactly what IPX4 covers, and a wash is nothing like it. A wash adds immersion, detergent, heat, and spinning, none of which the rating tested, and the case is not rated at all. Dry them and treat them as water-damaged.
Does rice work?
Not really. It's slow and can shed dust into the mesh and contacts. Silica gel is better, and time is best of all.
How long before I test them?
At least 2 to 3 days, and don't charge them to check. Testing early is the most common way a savable set gets finished off.
Earbuds are the easiest thing in the house to leave in a pocket.
They're tiny, they ride in every jacket and gym short, and the person starting the load can't see them in there. Checking pockets by hand works right up until the one rushed load where it doesn't.
WashDog is that check, made automatic. It's a small device that watches your washer and catches tagged valuables, and many devices on their own, before the cycle starts.
Green: you're clear
Red ring and a bark: stop, something's still in there
It won't promise to save everything, since nothing honestly can. But it catches the mistake before the water does.
We're launching on Kickstarter. Join the list for $10 off at launch, plus the free Rescue Guide.