Keeping things clean nowadays, in covid-19 times, is important. On the other hand, keeping things you use for long hours on a daily basis clean, in these difficult times, is vital. Cleaning headphones can spare you a lot of serious health problems and do both your ears and your headphones a world of good. That being said, let’s get to how to clean headphones, and while we’re at it, let’s also learn why we need to do so.
Cleanliness is next to godliness. However, it seems that the saying has been used enough to be considered just what it is: a saying, redundant and lacking in meaning. However, you really do need to clean your headphones often for certain reasons.
The Reasons Why it is so Important to Clean Your Headphones
- They can be a place for farming bacteria
Let’s say you don’t clean your headphones, the inside of the earcups enclosure in particular, often. Let’s say your earwax gets to them, and that with long hours of heat and sweating they make the perfect environment for growing bacteria. This can lead to developing serious ear infections and other problems.
- Others might use your headphones.
If you are living with other people in one place, you get used to the concept of sharing things, even things that should not be shared such as headphones. When that happens, you and the other people who use your headphones swap germs. This can result in many problems including pimples, mites, allergic reactions, fungi, pustules among others. Cleaning headphones often can lessen the problems that can happen because of sharing.
- Cleaning headphones can increase their lifespan
Overgrowth of dirt and earwax that can get inside your headphones can damage them. You take care of any electric device you have and clean it often since dust and dirt can get inside and damage the intricate circuits. Your headphones are no different, dust, sweat, earwax, and grime can get to the driver. Therefore, they should be treated the same way you treat other expensive electronics to remain functional as long as possible.
Read also: How To Fix Skullcandy Headphones
How to Clean Headphones
Let’s start with cleaning over the ear headphones. Luckily, most companies that manufacture headphones keep in mind maintenance-and-cleaning friendly designs. So, you’ll find this guide useful for most headphone brands.
How to Clean Over-The-ears Headphones:
- You need a few things for cleaning over the ear headphones: alcohol with at least 70% alcohol, cotton cloth, some Q-tips, and paper towels.
- Try to unattach the earcups from the headphones for better and more thorough cleaning. Wet the cotton cloth with some alcohol and start wiping off the dirt and grime.
- Make sure you cover the whole area of the outside part of the headphones and the earcups. Do not leave out anything. Include the band, the cord, the connector.
- Grooves are not easy to clean. This is where you need Q-tips. Damp them a bit with alcohol and clean grooves and hard to reach areas.
- Again, be thorough. Stretch your headphones and put some books between the sides to stretch the folds in the band for better more profound cleaning.
- The Ear-pads have creases too due to their shape. Stretch the creases and folds and wipe them with a cotton ball dampened with alcohol.
- Pay careful attention to the buttons, dials, and such. You touch these areas often, so grime and sweat gather there.
- If your headphones are one of those that have an attached microphone with an arm, clean them both with a paper towel dipped in alcohol.
- Put your headphones aside for 15 minutes until you are sure that the alcohol has dried up completely. Do not connect them to your devices or use them until they are completely dry.
If over the ear headphones can cause your ears nasty problems if they are dirty, earbuds and in-ear-phones can cause your ears even nastier and more dangerous problems if they are not cleaned often because they are plugged into your ear canal.
Check also: How to Use Headphones as a Mic
How to Clean In-ear Headphones
- For cleaning your in-ear headphones you need paper towels, Q-tips, alcohol with 70% alcohol, toothpicks, some Sticky Tack (optional), and a soft cotton cloth.
- Sometimes the silicone tips of your in-ear headphones are removable. If so, detach them and clean them. Since they are far from the rest of the electronic device you can clean them with water and detergent instead of alcohol. It is up to you really. Be careful and gentle with silicone tips or you might tear them. Put them aside to dry up once you finish cleaning them. The same applies to in-ear headphones with foam covers.
- Dampen the soft cotton cloth with alcohol and clean the drivers. Grime, dirt, wax or other nasty stuff can be stuck there. Be thorough but at the same time gentle. If the mesh is damaged, you’ll be needing a new pair of headphones.
- If you have some sticky tack, it can help you with cleaning the speaker. Press a little piece of it to the mesh then yank it away to pull grime and wax. Do this repeatedly until the mesh is clean.
- If you don’t have a sticky tack use a Q-tip and some alcohol instead.
- Your in-ear phones may have sensors (such as Apple AirPods). If so use paper towels dampened with alcohol to clean them.
- Clean every part of the in-ear headphones: the cord, the connector, the charging case if they are wireless.
- Let your in-ear headphones dry completely before using them.
Read also: Tozo t10 bluetooth 5.0 wireless earbuds review
In Conclusion:
Cleaning something you need and use for a long time should be common sense. However, cleaning your headphones is more than just that. It is proper maintenance for both your ears and your headphones. Your ears will remain healthy and the sound quality of your headphones will not decrease and you will not need to buy a new pair of headphones every so often.