Where all of us are collectively adopting a more active lifestyle while we groove out to our personal soundtracks, we are willing to spend more in exchange for good quality headphones. But, within a year or two, you might observe a drop in the sound. It just is not as crisp as it used to be. Coming from a buy-and-throw generation, we are tempted to instantly buy a new pair of headphones. But, what if, the solution is super simple? Most of the time deteriorated sound quality is only because your headphones are dirty. And therefore, today, learn how to clean earbuds rubber with us.
Why Do We Need To Clean Our Earbud’s Rubber?
If you take out your headphones and examine them right now, you will be able to see accumulated dirt, clogged earwax, and grease trapped inside. We always change our clothes and shower after the gym or the morning walks, but what about our headphones? Have we ever cleaned them post-workout?
And, this is not all. After using them, we toss the earbuds in our bags or pockets. They continue to absorb all the dust and grime that has been lying in there. It increases the chances of an earwax blockage, or ear infection or can cause you a costly trip to the doctor. You might also suffer from hearing issues later in life.
When we take care of the cleanliness of our other belongings, then why neglect our headphones? Just going the extra mile to maintain the headphones can prove to be helpful. Not only it will result in better sound levels coming from the headphone, but will also retain in-ear hygiene. Now, let’s discover how to clean earbuds rubber.
How to clean earbuds rubber: Getting Started
Typically, an average in-ear headphone contains around 119,186 colony-forming units. This amount of bacteria can easily result in ear infections or other illnesses. Therefore, you must keep them clean.
Now, let’s get straight toward how to clean earbuds rubber. Know that, it requires more delicacy but the tools used can be easily found at home.
You will require the following:
- A toothbrush
- Paperclip
- Adhesive
- Cleaning Solution
Clean the driver’s unit
The driver unit is the most essential part of headphones. It is the part from where the sound is produced and is directly inserted into the ears.
Step 1: Hold your headphones with the rubber side upwards. With the help of a toothbrush, gently brush the mesh to dislodge dirt and ear wax. To knock more debris off, tap on the non-mesh side of the earbuds.
Step 2: With the help of a pin or bent paperclip, go over the wire mesh to remove any remaining dust or dirt. You can also apply some multipurpose adhesive to the pin to pick up unwanted substances.
For the rubber or silicon tips of your earbuds, follow these steps:
*Please note that this does not apply to any of the ear tips or silicon tips that are not water-resistant.
Step 1: Remove the rubber or the silicon ear tips.
Step 2: Make a mixture of slightly warm water and soap
Step 3: Dip the rubber or ear tips in the water for around 15 to 30 minutes
Step 4: Rinse the rubber sleeves and give them a good wipe
Step 5: Leave them for some time to completely dry on a paper towel
If your earphones fall out of your ear easily, you can also get customized silicon ear tips to prevent them from falling.
Disinfecting earbuds rubber
If you want to disinfect the earbuds’ rubber or tips, follow these quick and easy steps:
Step 1: With the help of an alcohol wipe or cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol, wipe them.
Step 2: Let them air-dry
*If your earbuds have foam tips, they cannot be disinfected, owing to their porous nature. You can use a detergent and water solution to clean them.
How to keep your earbuds clean for a longer time period?
After learning how to clean earbuds rubber, you must also know how to clean them for longer so that you do not have to do the trouble every day. Here are some quick tips to keep them clean:
Keep them in a case: Before shoving your earbuds back in the bag or pocket, make sure you put them in a case. It prevents them from picking up bacteria, lint, and dust.
Let them dry: If your earbuds are water-resistant and wet (due to sweat), let them air dry. Do not apply direct heat on them.
When in the gym: Do not put your earbuds in sweaty gym shorts. Otherwise, they will be exposed to bacteria and too much moisture.
Close the lid: When the earbuds are not in use, close the charging case. There is no need to keep them open or the dust will settle in the interior of the case.
The article sums up how to clean earbuds rubber. You can repeat the simple steps whenever you feel a need. As long as you keep your earbuds rubber clean they will sound like new.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you clean silicone earbuds?
In case you are using silicone ear tips for your earbuds, you can soak them in a solution of isopropyl alcohol + water. After 30 minutes of soaking, scrub them from the inside, with the help of a q-tip or cotton swab. Do not use strong alcohol as it can damage the tips.
Is it safe to clean earbuds with alcohol?
You can use isopropyl alcohol, which is also known as rubbing alcohol. Do not use too much of it, you can clean the earbuds with a damp cotton swab. Know that, there is a difference between damp and wet. Moreover, do not use anything stronger, especially household cleaning detergents or bleach.
How do you clean soft part of earbuds?
You can use a toothpick to clean the soft rubber tips. First, detach the earbud tip and scrape the inner walls. Make sure that you clean the exposed speaker with a cotton swab afterward.
How often should I clean my earbuds?
You can properly disinfect your earbuds once weekly. It is sufficient to keep your earbuds clean and bacteria-free.
How do you prevent ear wax in earbuds?
If you are still a fan of in-ear headphones than over-ear ones, you can clean your earbuds to prevent ear wax from being accumulated in them. You can clean them before and after use.