2023-07-10 15:25:00
Whether wired or wireless, in-ear or headset, cheap or expensive, most people see headphones as an accessory for daily use, listening to their favorite music or programs, participating in work meetings or studies, or simply using the accessory as a form of insulation.
With so much use, these peripherals can get pretty dirty, which can compromise sound quality and even pose risks to your ear health.
Today, continuing our tips and tutorials board, you can see below how to clean your headphones the right way!
Tech
27 Jun
Curiosity
07 Abr
How to clean your headphones
In addition to all the disgust that excessive dirt can cause, not cleaning your headphones regularly can worsen the sound quality of the device, as the audio outputs can become blocked.
Dead cells, sebum, earwax, facial products, and a few other external factors can be the biggest culprits when it comes to getting your headphones dirty.
So be careful to maintain regular cleaning of the accessory! This will ensure a longer peripheral lifespan and your ears will thank you.
How often should I clean the headphones?
There isn’t just one correct answer when it comes to how often your headphones should be cleaned, as this will directly depend on your wearing habits and the type of headphones.
How many times a day or week you wear them, what you do while wearing them, and even the climate you live in can all be factors to look into.
If you keep a headset on your desk that you only use daily as part of your work routine, chances are you only need to sanitize it once a week.
On the other hand, if you use your headphones to the gym regularly, you’ll probably need to clean them right following your exercise session – especially if you sweat a lot.
With that, the general tip is: keep an eye on the cleanliness of your headphones. Whenever you see traces of dirt, clean it! The longer you postpone this process, the more dirt will accumulate and the harder your job will become.
Tools needed for cleaning
While there are headphone cleaning kits available at retail – as we’ll make available at the end of this section, you don’t necessarily need to own one of these to get your headphones clean.
It is possible to achieve very similar results with simple items, which you probably already have at home, or which can be bought cheaply in stores and/or supermarkets in your city.
Check out the short list below:
Detergent: opt for neutrals;
soft cloth: preferably a microfiber one (the kind you use to clean glasses or clean glass). Thus, your headphones will not be scratched;
Cotton swab and toothpick: to remove dirt from more complicated places;
Alcohol: to be able to kill germs from hard plastic and silicone parts. Use with care and avoid passing on painted parts, as it may fade the color;
Toothbrush: new or very clean and dry. Do not use this brush for personal hygiene following carrying out the process.;
Air bomb: those used for cleaning photographic kit;
small brush;
Sponge or paper towel.
In case you don’t have some of the above items, like the air pump, for example, the process can still be carried out easily. Maybe it just gets a little more complicated, but nothing impossible.
Anyway, before replacing any item, read over the information on the label and stay away from items that can damage your headphones. Don’t use a metal spatula in place of a cotton swab, for example.
For those of you who prefer to escape from improvisation, a good option may be to resort to the kits mentioned above. They can be found on some retail websites. Check out some of the best deals below:
Care in cleaning
Before proceeding with the cleaning, you need to take some precautions.
Do not use a vacuum cleaner (and don’t suck with your mouth) to try to pull dirt out of your headphones. In addition to being quite unpleasant, you can damage the internal components of your headphones, such as the driver, protective mesh and other electronic components.
Also, even if your headphones are waterproof, don’t submerge or spill your headphones in any kind of liquid to try to clean them. That probably wasn’t the company’s purpose in adding water protection to the product.
Wiping a soft cloth with alcohol over some of the phone’s surfaces can be fine. Still, make sure the product is not too abrasive and keep it away from speaker grilles, microphone holes or charging ports.
If you have any doubts regarding the expected effect of the product, do not use it.
How to clean your headphones
First, make sure your headphones are turned off and disconnected from your device.
With a slightly damp soft cloth, clean the outside of the earphone. If the outside has some dirt that is more difficult to get out, use only water and a little diluted detergent. Wipe away any moisture with another soft cloth.
Avoid using alcohol. Using it on the outside can remove or fade paint from trim and, on leather or fabric earbuds, can permanently damage the material.
If possible, remove the ear pads or silicone tips for a more thorough cleaning.
First, remove any accumulated dirt from the silicone tips using a toothpick. Be careful not to damage the tips with the tip of the toothpick.
Wash the tips and foams with soap and water and let them air dry. Only put them back in place when they are completely dry.
For the pair of headphones, in fact, take the air pump and, with the cavity of the headphones facing down, push the air once morest the pair’s speakers gently. The slight air pressure in conjunction with gravity should cause some of the dirt to fall out.
Take the brush and run the bristles lightly over the speaker cavity, always moving from the inside out.
With a cotton swab slightly moistened with alcohol (lightly, not dripping – soaked), gently pass the cotton swab into the speaker cavity, removing any remaining dirt.
If any dirt is still stuck to this part, try to remove it with the wooden toothpick. Be careful not to pierce the speaker’s protective mesh.
If you don’t want to take the risk with the toothpick, make a small cake of masking tape, keeping the glue part outside, and apply it in the corners where the dirt insists on not coming out. As the glue on this type of tape is not usually very strong, it should not leave any residue on the headphones, but it should be enough to clean the dirt.
Do all the cleaning work calmly. Gradually, your headphones should become clean. Keep a sponge or paper towel nearby to get rid of dirt from the toothbrush or toothpick before returning them to the headphones.
With each side of the phone duly cleaned, make sure that the foam and silicone tips removed earlier are already 100% dry and fit them back into the pair.
Clean your headphones regularly.
What regarding the charging wire/case?
If your headphones are wireless, chances are you’ll recharge them and store them in a case. This case, eventually, can pick up part of the dirt coming from the headphones; and because of that, it also deserves attention for cleanliness.
Some companies usually recommend that headphone users only use a dry cloth to clean the dirt from the case.
Around here, we usually use a cotton swab slightly moistened with isopropyl alcohol to clean the pins and charging connectors of the case and the headphones themselves.
For the USB port, a good option can be to use a small brush to remove dirt or small debris that has become hooked.
For wired headphones, a cloth moistened with alcohol should be enough to remove dirt from the wire and connector.
How to keep your headphones longer
If you want to keep your headphones in full working order for longer, it’s essential that you care for them properly.
Even if they are sweat and waterproof, it’s important that you don’t leave them wet or in humid environments for too long – like in the pocket of your gym shorts or in a sauna, for example. After all, liquids can end up transposing the water barrier over time, damaging the peripheral.
Also, in the case of wireless models, don’t let any kind of moisture get into the case. Wipe off any sweat or water before putting your earbuds back in the case, and make sure the charging port is dry before plugging the case back in.
If your phone has an internal battery, avoid leaving it in very hot places or exposed to direct sunlight for a long time. This can directly compromise battery health.
For wired headphones, do not bend or wrap the cable around the device while it is still connected. Gently wrap it around your fingers, making a circle with the handle, following the natural curve of the yarn.
Also, avoid pulling the headphones out of the jack too hard. Pull the handset out of the jack by grasping the plug or end of the cord, not from the cord itself.
1689022682
#Teach #clean #headphones
