1- I understand the AirPods are waterproof. Best to check warranty and instructions. I have dropped them in water, shook them off and allowed time to dry and they worked fine.
2-Before buying a new set, try this:
Look for debris in the AirPod charger and on the pods. We had a family member whose AirPods started working intermittently. After looking them over closely, I realized part of problem was debris (earwax and food crumbs) on the pod and in the charger. So I took a toothpick and very gently flicked the debris out of the opening of the AirPods that go in the ear. Be very careful, too gently flick the debris up and out. Otherwise it will be pushed in past the tiny screen. Not sure what would happen, but shouldn't be a problem if you take your time. Using magnifying glasses would help as well.
Second, I removed other debris down in the charger. Again, using a toothpick and blowing air, I was able to remove the debris and the AirPods worked perfectly. The debris in the charger blocked the connection, so the pod didn't charge. This cleaning solved the problem.
3- A word of caution about this: Check the warranty to make sure you don't do anything that would void it. The pair I cleaned were out of warranty. This was a homemade remedy on my part for a heavily used pair of AirPods.
Hope this helps.
