Headphones have become an inseparable part of our lives since their inception. Many are embracing a more active lifestyle while listening to our favourite Spotify playlists.
As members of the buy-and-throw generation, we may be inclined to complain about how things aren't designed to last anymore and then go out and purchase a new pair. But what if there is a straightforward answer to this problem? And that solution is... cleaning your headphones.
Why do you need to clean your headphones?
Remove your headphones or earbuds and inspect the interior right now, if you can. Usually, months of blocked earwax, oil, and dust have built up in the tiny cracks of our headphones. We always shower and change our clothing after going to the gym, or after the morning run, because we are used to it. But when was the last time you cleaned your headphones, whether after a workout or at all?
Have you started to feel uncomfortable yet? We put our headphones into our bags, pockets, or anywhere else, where they mix with other dust and bacteria that has been accumulating there since who knows. That is a Fastlane to the doctor office with an ear infection, or worse.
What you'll need to clean your headphones:
A small rag
Paper towels
Hand sanitizer / Rubbing alcohol
Cotton buds / Q-tips
Soap
Water
How to clean earphones:
First, clean the driver unit
Point the mesh side your earphones down, and brush the wire mesh carefully with a dry, soft toothbrush (ideally - a children's toothbrush) to remove any debris
or blocked ear wax. To assist knock some of the debris off, lightly tap the non-mesh side (the side with the logo) of the earphones.
Then, remove the remaining dirt from the wire mesh using a bent paperclip with some cotton. You can also use a multipurpose adhesive that can pick up any undesirable substances. Lastly, put some rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer on a small rag (use a small amount, since soaking the rag might harm your earphones), and clean the wires and the metal mesh.
Cleaning the ear tips.
Earphones usually come with detachable silicone sleeves/ear tips in varying sizes to provide the best fit for your ears.
- Remove the silicone ear tips and immerse them in warm water with a bit of soap for around five minutes.
- Before reinserting the silicone tips, wipe them, and let them dry thoroughly on paper towels.
How to clean headphones:
Cleaning headphones is a little trickier since headphones contain more "tearable" materials such as the leather or foam of the ear pads.
1. Remove the ear pads and use a small rag with soap and warm water to wash the headphones' exterior. Allow the headphones to dry thoroughly after wiping them with paper towels.
2. Wipe clean the exterior of the ear pads with a tiny rag with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Then, wipe the nooks and crevices of the earpads with a Q-tip/cotton bud soaked in alcohol/hand sanitizer.
3. Apply a small amount of alcohol or hand sanitizer to the foam mesh's surface and gently rub. This will aid in killing germs found on the ear pads. Any dirt or dust should be removed with light rubbing.
4. Before reattaching the ear pads, let them dry fully on some paper towels.