You bought headphones, they suit you perfectly and play music perfectly, you listen to them every day and enjoy them. But over time, headphones get dirty, and if this can be dealt with relatively easily, then what about the ear pads? After all, the ear pads are constantly in contact with the skin, which means they are always exposed to the maximum impact of various substances that the skin secretes: sweat, sebum and fat.

The ear pads are not difficult to clean; interestingly, they don’t require special means. Of course, you can use different techniques, but there is no guarantee that they will help in your case. If you use a cleaning agent incorrectly, you can instantly render the ear pads completely unusable.

Therefore, I will give you safe tips on how to clean the ear pads of both in-ear headphones and over-ear headphones.

How to clean the foam ear pads of in-ear headphones

Today, foam ear pads for in-ear headphones are becoming increasingly popular. Their advantages are undeniable: they are soft, take the shape of the ear canal, and provide excellent sound insulation.

But the foam material, which provides so many advantages, at the same time has a significant drawback - it gets dirty quickly. The foam from which the ear cushion is made has a fine-cell structure; it is due to the cells that this material can be compressed and decompressed. When using, we always insert the ear pad into the ear canal, and the ears produce earwax all the time. Sulfur is very important for ear health and normal functioning, so doctors do not recommend cleaning it out of the ear canal completely. The outer cells of the foam very quickly become clogged with sulfur, and the ear cushion becomes unpleasant to the touch and unsightly in appearance.

Therefore, I recommend washing the foam ear pads in water at least once a week. It is not necessary to use special detergents; just turn on the tap and wash the ear pads in a stream of water. Do not use brushes or other abrasive materials, you need to wash bare hands, this way you will maintain the structure of the foam.

If the contamination is very large, or the sulfur has penetrated deep into the area, you can use a small amount of regular soap. Lightly lather the embouchure and remember it in your hands so that lather penetrated inside and then rinse it thoroughly with running water.

After rinsing the foam pad, press it in your hands to squeeze out any water that has been absorbed, but do not overdo it. In any case, the water will remain inside no matter how hard you squeeze it. After a light spin, leave the ear pads to dry.

Remember that you should not leave the foam cushion in direct sunlight or on heating devices. The ear pad can be left near the battery, but not on it. It dries quite quickly, just a couple of hours and it is ready for use.

The manufacturer of foam ear pads advises changing them regularly, because... Over time, the foam loses its properties, and various contaminants penetrate deep into the material, even with regular cleaning, where insidious bacteria begin to multiply. Approximate time possible use Foam ear pads last 6-8 months, after which they need to be changed.

How to clean the silicone ear pads of in-ear headphones

Silicone ear pads, unlike foam ones, are much easier to handle and care for, and they are more durable. With proper care, silicone ear pads can last for several years without complaints or loss of physical properties.

However, silicone ear pads need to be cleaned regularly to ensure you enjoy them for years to come.

In normal cases, silicone ear pads are washed in running water without using detergents. Any, even serious, stains can be easily washed off with water.

If water doesn't help, you can use regular soap. Lightly soap the ear pads, remember it in your hands and rinse thoroughly in running water.

Some people on forums and social networks recommend using different means, which soften the silicone, making it more pleasant to use. I do not recommend treating silicone ear pads, because... softening indicates a violation of the integrity of the structure of the material from which they are made and no one will be held responsible for the consequences except the listener.

A serious headphone manufacturer takes the choice of material for making ear pads very seriously and tests it so that it does not cause allergies and discomfort during use. Therefore, I do not recommend violating or, simply put, destroying the material from which the ear pad is made.

If the silicone ear pad begins to lose its properties, feels different to the touch and changes its elasticity characteristics, it needs to be replaced.

With proper care, silicone ear pads last for several years without complaints; they need to be replaced only after 3-4 years of intensive use, unless it breaks or gets lost before this period.

How to clean velor ear pads on over-ear and on-ear headphones

The velor ear pads are very pleasant to use, they are soft, beautiful and almost unnoticeable on your head. But they, like any other fabric, absorb skin secretions: oil and sweat. Therefore, more often than other ear pads they require attention.

How to wash velor ear pads in water

Velor ear pads can be cleaned without the use of special cleaning agents.

First of all, make sure that the ear pads are removable, i.e. they can be safely separated from the headphones. Not all headphone models require ear pads to be removed.

If the ear pads are removable, it will be for us ideal option. Separate the ear pads from the headphones and rinse them under running water. tap water. If the dirt is strong, you can lightly soap it.

After you have washed the ear pads, do not wring them out. Place the cloth near a heat source such as a radiator. winter time, or near a window through which the sun shines, in the summer. Leave the ear pad to dry. In a few hours it will be ready for use.

Remember: do not leave the ear pads to dry on straight sun rays or on heating devices. Firstly, velor may lose its color, and secondly, foam rubber may lose its elasticity and flexibility. Drying should take place in a gentle manner.

How to clean velor ear pads from hair and dust

Velor ear pads, despite all their advantages, have one significant drawback - they easily collect dust, hair and fur.

However, in any household store today you can buy adhesive tape for cleaning clothes, with which you can easily clean velor ear pads. When used normally, adhesive tape has no contraindications.

Also, for certain types of dirt, you can use a vacuum cleaner with a crevice nozzle. But try not to bring the brush very close to the ear pad, otherwise, if your vacuum cleaner is powerful, it can suck the ear pad inside, thus tearing the velor or breaking the inner filling. You need to vacuum velor carefully, setting the power of the vacuum cleaner to the minimum value if possible.

With prolonged use, headphones usually become dirty. This is fine. Street dust gets clogged into the bonding areas, and earwax completely degrades not only the sound of the models, but also appearance. To keep your headphones in close to pre-sale condition, you need to do preventive cleaning at least once every two weeks. Often the user worries that he might do something wrong. In fact, there is no reason to worry - the process of restoring the appearance of the headphones is simple and interesting.

Types of headphones.

Let's start in order. Each type of headphone has its own problems with contamination. But most of them are in in-ear models. Dirt gets clogged inside the channel, “grows” on the liners - and it’s just terrible. Here, contamination can not only spoil the aesthetic appearance, but also interfere with the correct reproduction of music.

Closed and on-ear headphones are least susceptible to this. Such careful care for them, unlike in-canal ones, is not required. But no one has canceled the clogging of foam pads, which are mostly used in on-ear headphones. Dust and dirt remain inside the fabric base, which is to a small extent harmful to the headphones, but to a greater extent to human health.

Cleaning products.

What will you need to get started? First, isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. The alcohol will disinfect the headphone housing and remove dirt. Hydrogen peroxide applied to a cotton swab will also help remove sulfur. Everyone has everything else for preparation: toothpicks, cotton swabs, a toothbrush, a soft piece of cloth or a napkin. So let's get started.

Cleaning in-ear headphones.

Before starting work, remove the earplugs from the headphones and wipe them with a cloth lightly moistened with peroxide. If dirt remains in hard-to-reach places, it is worth applying toothbrush. True, she should not zealously polish the linings, as it can ruin the material. To be sure, you can go over the napkin again. Next we move on to the mesh that covers the earphone channel. If it is possible to remove the mesh (you should make sure that it is removable), then use a needle or tweezers. After removing the mesh, place it in alcohol poured into a small container. If you still can’t get it out, then dip the earphone so that only the lower edge comes into contact with the solution. To disinfect the case (if you clean it, then everything) you need to walk over it with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab or a piece of lint-free cloth.

The most famous headphones whose mesh is not removable are EarPods from Apple, using an example of which you can understand the cleaning process. First, remove dirt from the mesh with a toothpick, making sure that the mesh does not press through and dirt does not get inside. For some, it is convenient to use a toothbrush in this case. By the way, neither a toothpick nor a toothbrush should be wet. And the rest is according to the standard, we wipe the wires and the case with alcohol (make sure that it does not get inside) and leave to dry. By the way, to protect EarPods from dirt, there are special silicone tips that minimize the possibility of getting the headphones dirty.

Cleaning over-ear and closed headphones.

Often, these types of headphones have foam inserts (pads) with inside cups. Under no circumstances should they be wetted, since foam rubber (regarding overhead models) can lose its shape when exposed to moisture. It is best to clean the pads using a clothes roller or a vacuum cleaner with a special narrow nozzle. With ear pads in closed headphones the situation is simpler. Made of leather or leatherette, they quickly return to their original appearance after wiping with a damp cloth. To clean velor ear pads, a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or vinegar is suitable (a low concentration solution is needed).

What should you avoid?

On the Internet, you often find advice to wash your headphones or rinse them in water using a cleaning brush. Such methods are questionable, since it is prohibited to wet any device of this kind inside. It is also advisable to refrain from disassembling the headphones yourself before cleaning. If the confidence that the headphones will be assembled correctly turns out to be objective, then this can be done.

It has long been known that headphones are one of the best carriers of health-threatening diseases. They harbor ear fungus, as well as staphylococci, streptococci and influenza. Headphones live in unknown pockets, so they quickly lose their appearance. The same EarPods turn first into gray and then into yellow.

But I have a solution. For myself, I have long chosen 5 cheap items that can be bought at the pharmacy. They will help wash any type of headphones from both microorganisms and common dirt.

Ear sticks

For some reason, many sites on the Internet write that sulfur and other relatively large debris from hard-to-reach areas of the headphones should be removed using toothpicks. I think this is complete nonsense. Using a toothpick can damage the membrane and other parts of the headphones, so I recommend either being as careful as possible when doing this, or giving preference to ear sticks.

Ear sticks are even quite suitable for removing wax from the inside of EarPods or AirPods where the protective mesh is located. And their soft “tips” will help avoid damage.

Ear sticks are suitable for any hard-to-reach and internal parts earbuds, in-ear and on-ear headphones. If the dirt is old and dried, you need to moisten them in one of the solutions that I will talk about later.

Cotton pads

Cotton pads are useful for removing dirt from the outer parts of any headphones or wiping them dry after use. liquid products from the pharmacy.

Cotton pads are great for cleaning headphone wires. For example, if your EarPods are not yet yellow, but are already gray, you can simply wet a cotton pad with water, squeeze it out as much as possible, and wipe all their outer parts. This might help.

Cotton pads are also good for cleaning the ear pads of large over-ear headphones. Depending on the type of contamination, you can do this either simply slightly damp or soaked in one of the pharmaceutical liquids.

After any, let’s say, wet procedure with cotton pads, it is important to wipe the headphones dry.

Hydrogen peroxide

My experience shows that hydrogen peroxide does a good job of removing all contaminants ingrained into the body. For internal parts there are other more effective means, but on the outside (wires, arms, body) I only use peroxide.

If the headphones are white and have already turned not even gray, but yellow, I moisten them with peroxide using cotton pads and leave them wet for 10-20 minutes. After that, I wipe them first with a slightly damp and then with a dry cotton pad. In most cases this is more than enough.

It's even easier with black ones. In principle, dirt is practically invisible on them, and after peroxide they will even shine.

Formic alcohol

Formic alcohol can also be used for external use, but it is more caustic (as explained to me knowledgeable people) than peroxide, so I don't risk doing this. If the headphones are not of very high quality, you can simply damage them and ruin the entire appearance.

But it’s great for internal parts if you can’t just wipe off the dirt with a dry ear stick. For example, in AirPods and EarPods I usually wipe the mesh this way if too much sulfur has accumulated in it and it’s already like a stone.

You can also use formic alcohol to make baths for in-ear headphones. Remove the nozzles from them, pour just a little alcohol (1 mm in height) into the soda caps and attach them with clothespins so that the inner mesh is in alcohol. So they should soak for about 5 minutes.

After all these procedures, I do not wipe the headphones dry; this is not necessary.

Chlorhexidine

Chlorhexidine is mine latest find, which was recently recommended to me by friends who sell hearing aids.

They recommend that their clients regularly wipe these devices with it. There are no components that can damage the headphones, but antimicrobial actions simply excellent: it will kill staphylococci, streptococci and other rubbish.

Along with it, I use ear sticks and cotton pads. First for internal use, and the second for external. Everything is fine and I’m not afraid to give headphones to friends who have their own illnesses. It’s generally cool to always have such a thing with you - for example, in a car first aid kit.

Guys, I’ve been using almost all of this for a long time and about liquids I tried to communicate with specialists who are in the know. But you still do all this at your own peril and risk, keep that in mind. However, it's better to try cleaning very dirty headphones than to throw them away altogether. What do you use?

This post was written reader V

Anyone who likes to listen to music has encountered this problem: after some time, the sound quality in vacuum headphones noticeably decreases. The sound in one of them may even disappear altogether. This happens because a certain amount of skin secretions collects inside the ear and earwax, which pollute the headphones and spoil the sound. So it's time to accept radical measures- either buy new vacuum headphones, or somehow clean the dirty device.

If you prefer high-quality sound and buy expensive headphones, you are unlikely to want to constantly spend money on purchasing a new set just because the old one is dirty. And this is completely justified: cleaning is much cheaper, and it won’t take much time.

What do you need

For cleaning you will need to stock up on a certain set of items and substances. Will need:

• cotton swabs;
• cotton pads;
• clean paper or cloth napkins;
• scotch;
• hydrogen peroxide from the pharmacy;
• alcohol or glass cleaner;
• cap from plastic bottle or other small container of low height.

How to clean: procedure

• Remove the rubber caps.
• Wipe all wires and external surfaces with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol or glass cleaner. Wires also get dirty and need to be cleaned from time to time, just for beauty and hygiene.
• Pour hydrogen peroxide into the cap. The height of the liquid layer should not be more than 4 mm, preferably 2-3 millimeters. We only need to clean the mesh, and so that liquid does not get inside.
• Carefully lower the headphones into the peroxide with the mesh side down and secure them in this position with tape. It is important that the headphones are not completely submerged in peroxide, as this will ruin them. You need to clean with peroxide for 10-15 minutes.
• While the peroxide dissolves accumulated dirt, there is time to clean the rubber pads. This can be done with cotton swabs soaked in peroxide or alcohol.
• It's time to take the headphones out of the peroxide solution. This must be done carefully so that moisture does not get on the membrane inside the contacts.
• To dry the mesh, you can simply put them on a napkin for 1-2 hours.

After complete drying, you can put on the rubber tips and start using clean headphones.

For more effective cleaning craftsmen They suggest using an ordinary vacuum cleaner equipped with an attachment made from scrap materials. The easiest way to make a nozzle is from a ball of plasticine the size of a small apple and a piece of tube, the diameter of which is approximately equal to the diameter of the earphone mesh. The tube is inserted into the center of the plasticine ball, which, in turn, must be inserted into the pipe of the vacuum cleaner hose.

You need to turn on the vacuum cleaner at minimum power, and it is better with an open hole to regulate the suction force.

A thin tube helps remove not only residual moisture from the mesh, but also effectively cleans the headphones from particles of dirt and earwax that have softened under the action of a hydrogen peroxide solution. But you need to be careful: too intense suction can damage the headphones. But this method allows you to clean your headphones much more efficiently and dry them faster.

Video: cleaning vacuum headphones

Just because your headphones get dirty often doesn't mean you're not keeping your ears clean. Each person's skin functions in its own way. Some people have more earwax, some have less. Of course, you need to clean your ears, but doctors recommend not to overdo it, so as not to damage the delicate skin inside the ear and provoke the development of inflammatory diseases. But it is not recommended to give your headphones to other people.

The more regularly you use music headphones, the faster you notice a deterioration in their sound quality: they become quieter, the bass decreases, etc. There are only two reasons for this problem: the wiring is damaged or something gets into the audio speakers (debris, dirt, dust, etc. .d.). If the headphones are constantly in ears, then they become dirty very quickly.

The human ear produces a constant production of earwax. This sticky substance is localized inside the ear canal. She has yellow and viscous consistency. It is the sulfur that can stick to the speakers and degrade the sound quality of the headphones. Therefore, many gadget users are trying to figure out how to clean earwax from headphones. Having learned some useful and simple rules, you can save money on buying a new device and extend the life of your old one.

Main types of headphones

It should be immediately noted that headphones may have different shapes and configuration. Eat different types devices: wired, in-ear, overhead, wireless, closed, full-size, buttons, open. Accordingly, each variety requires special care. Today, the most common models are vacuum headphones. Equally popular are devices that come with, for example, an iPhone, whose owners are interested in how to clean Earpods.

What you need to clean vacuum devices

Such devices are equipped with special removable rubber pads. The ability to simply remove elements is considered the main advantage of these models.

To clean you need the following:

• Cotton pads.
• Hydrogen peroxide.
• Alcohol.
• Sticks for cleaning ears.
• Napkins.
• Vessel for liquid.
• Scotch.

The container must be thoroughly washed from the inside. Medical alcohol can be replaced with ordinary vodka.

Step-by-step description of the process

First you need to prepare the bath: pour some water into a selected vessel. The most important thing is to wash off the dirt from the mesh.

Dismantle the rubberized tabs and put them in a secluded place. It is important not to lose items in a hurry.

Then we immerse the products in a peroxide solution. In this case, only the mesh should be in it. Leave them to soak for fifteen minutes, securing the structure with tape.

Next, you need to take out the rubber bands and treat them with an alcohol-soaked cotton pad. As an alternative solution, you can simply dip the pads into a glass of vodka or alcohol. You can also use cotton swabs, because dirt tends to accumulate in hard-to-reach places. Then they need to be dried thoroughly.

After this, you can remove the devices from the peroxide and remove the tape. Do not forget that the headphones must not be turned over, as residual solution may get into the structure and damage the accessory. Gently blot them toilet paper or a paper towel and then leave to dry.

The audio headphones are then reassembled and can be used again.

It will be useful for iPhone owners to know how to clean Apple headphones, because they have some differences from classic vacuum models. Audio headphones for iPhone are not equipped with earbuds, so the mesh becomes clogged with earwax and dust much faster. You can clean this accessory yourself, but you need to try hard to do it.

For more effective and convenient cleaning, it is recommended to remove the mesh by picking it up with tweezers or a needle.

For this operation you need to prepare:

1. Vodka or alcohol.
2. Needles or toothpicks.
3. Cotton swabs.
4. Towel or paper napkins.

It is better to clean iPhone audio headphones with alcohol, because it evaporates quickly, so drying will take much less time, and the risk of audio speakers “flooding” will be significantly reduced.

Use a toothpick to remove any remaining debris. You need to act carefully so as not to damage any parts. Before you clean the headphones from your iPhone 5 or 4, you should know that they also have mesh on the sides. They also require the removal of contaminants.

Then, soaked and wrung-out cotton swabs are used. It is not advisable to use a stick that may still drip liquid. This completes the procedure.

There are other cleaning methods. Some gadget owners use a vacuum cleaner, etc. But such “radical” methods are questionable.

Any thing gets dirty sooner or later. Audio headphones are no exception. Pollution is a natural process, as they are constantly used. Proper and regular care of the accessory is extremely important, otherwise you will have to regularly look for a way to clean your Earpods. Dirt collecting on parts may affect the performance of the headphones. In addition, pollution is an excellent environment for the development of bacteria and microbes.

Dirty ear headphones they look very ugly. In order to maintain your health and extend the life of your headphones, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Clean the accessory twice a month.
2. Don't forget about ear hygiene.
3. Headphones are a personal item, just like a toothbrush. Don't let anyone use them.

If you use these tips, the sound from your headphones will always be high-quality, bright and powerful. And you will no longer need to think about how to clean them.

Attention, TODAY only!