How to clean mobile headphones

Headphones tend to get dirty from dust if they are not kept in a case, or from oily skin, earwax, etc. This ends up with some pretty dirty and unsightly looking devices. And the worst thing is that they could give you an ear infection in some cases, since there are really dangerous bacteria. For this reason, you should learn to clean them correctly, without damaging them and with the right products. That's what this article is about, a tutorial on how to clean mobile headphones.

Products to clean mobile headphones

To clean mobile headphones without damaging them, in a simple way and to achieve the best results, you should take into account the following products. They are very cheap and the results make them worth it:

• Blu-Tack: It is a very cheap product that can help you not only clean your headphones, but also many other things such as some slots in your PC, mouse, keyboard, etc. It is a moldable and reusable adhesive putty that can be used for gluing, but also so that the dirt from the most inaccessible corners sticks to it.

• Cleaning kit: There are also tools specifically designed for cleaning headphones, both wireless and wired, regardless of their brand. An example is this pen with several tips to clean all the nooks and crannies and leave them clean as a whistle.

• pad replacements: if you see that the pads of your headphones are already a little broken or have some encrustation that you cannot clean, it is best to buy replacement ones. They are very cheap and there are for all types of brands and models of headphones, as well as for all types of headphones, such as in-ear or earbuds (earphones), over-ear and on-ear (headphones), with silicone pads or rubber of different sizes to adapt to your ear canal or foam for the headband type.

• Aerosol or compressed air spray: with it you can blow into the smallest slots or places, removing dirt.

• mini usb vacuum cleaner: With these small USB vacuum cleaners you can absorb or blow in small places, and they are perfect for cleaning keyboards, air vents, ports, and also the headphones.

How to maintain the headphones

Now that you know the utensils and spare parts with which you can clean mobile headphones, let's go to how should you proceed, with some tips.

Necessary material

• A small microfiber cloth
• Isopropyl alcohol (don't use other cleaning products or you could render them unusable)
• Ear cotton swabs or use the cleaning tool from the kit mentioned above
• regular soap
• Water
• Blu-Tack or similar adhesives
• Blower/mini vacuum cleaner/spray compressed air

Step-by-step cleaning procedure

In order to clean the mobile headphones thoroughly, you must follow the following instructions:

• For earphones:
  1. Please remove the rubber pad of your headphones (if they have) to work better.
  2. Use the swab to clean the interior dirt, removing the thickest dirt and possible wax obstructions that it may have.
  3. Now you can use the Blu-Tack to insert it into the gaps and thus remove the dust and other dirt that has been left inside.
  4. The next thing is to moisten a small cloth with isopropyl alcohol (use sparingly) and clean everything, including the cables (if they are not wireless) and the connection jack. This is how it is disinfected.
  5. If you have silicone or rubber pads, clean these too using soap and water. You can submerge them for 5 minutes to soften the dirt and then rinse, dry well with absorbent paper and wait for them to lose all moisture. Then put the pads back on.
• For headphones type headphones:
  1. If possible, remove the foam or leather cushions from the headphones. But you must be very delicate, as they can be easily torn. In some models they are integrated and cannot be removed.
  2. If it has dry dirt, like dust, you can use the blower or vacuum to remove it.
  3. Moisten a cloth with isopropyl alcohol and gently wipe the outside of the ear tips.
  4. Use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean the nooks, crannies, and crevices.
  5. Then use the cloth to clean the rest of the headphones (headband, cable,…).
  6. Let the pads air dry well, then put them on.
• Clean headphone jack ports: in case of being wired, the mobiles have jack sockets to connect the headphone plug. In that case, it may also be dirty. To clean these ports you can use the USB vacuum/blower or compressed air. Do not use liquids to clean these holes, and make sure the mobile device is turned off.

By the way, if the pads have a sweaty or musty smell, you can use silica gel bags to put them next to the pads for a while. This will remove the moisture.

Prevent earphones from getting dirty

And finally, it is important to know some tips to prevent that you have to clean the mobile headphones so frequently:

• Use covers or cases to store the headphones whenever you're not using them. Avoid carrying them in your pocket, bag, etc.

• keep your clean ears using cotton swabs, washing them well, or using earwax removers.