You probably always using your in-ear headphones all day everyday. We put them on, then we take them off and put them in the pocket of a jeans or in the bottom of a bag while waiting for their next use, direct into your ears without going through the cleaning box … But this can be Very dangerous for your ears!
And yes, the earphones quickly become a nest for bacteria, brought by your fingers, dirt, gel, etc which are deposited on the buds that you will subsequently slide into your ears. Lets imagine an interesting scenario! Worse, if you share earphones with someone else, mixing earphones is very risky and can cause, in some cases, serious infections of the ear. Noise cancelling headphones have more ear padding designed for passive noise cancellation but even the best noise cancelling headphones cannot clean itself.
Most of the time, in-ear headphones are always supplied with interchangeable plastic ear tips. I advise you to buy in extra to be able to change them very regularly. If you have time, you can clean them after each use, using a cotton swab soaked in alcohol, to eliminate any risk of bacterial pollution. You can also use them in a solution made with warm water and soap or shampoo, wiped with a paper towel before replacing them, or a spray cleaner for hearing aids.
For earphones that do not fit completely into the ears, such as Apple headphones, for example, it is advisable to clean them with a mild mixture of soap and hot water. Just lightly wipe a soft cloth with this mixture, then gently apply it to the metal grid of your earphones, taking care not to let in water or soap.
If the grid of your headphones is blocked, I advise you to brush lightly with a dry brush to remove dust, pin or toothpick.
Just like your ears, your in-ear headphones need to be cleaned and serviced daily. You must ensure that your headphones are stored after use in a protective pouch to avoid the intrusion of crumbs or bacteria through the protective grille of the transducers.
This is nothing complicated, but important to avoid ear problems! Please do not forget to unplug your player’s headphones before cleaning.