[HipHopScribe]

Should I assume they came in contact with crap, piss and toilet water?

Realistically if you leave your house you're coming into contact with someone else's crap, piss and toilet water on shared surfaces on a daily basis. Buying someone's used headphones is much lower risk than going anywhere and touching a door handle. If you're really concerned buy new headphones rather than used, not that you have any guarantee someone working in a factory somewhere didn't touch some part of your headphones or the box with dirty hands.

Also, I would probably avoid anything like alcohol or clorox wipes as those are likely to degrade earpads material. It's probably fine to do it sparingly, but otherwise a mild soap and a little water is safer, slightly damp and then quickly dried for most earpads.

 

[ADUHF]

Also, I would probably avoid anything like alcohol or clorox wipes as those are likely to degrade earpads material. It's probably fine to do it sparingly, but otherwise a mild soap and a little water is safer, slightly damp and then quickly dried for most earpads.

I've often wondered about this. Particularly what cleaners and/or conditioners are best to keep pleather or leather earpads in good condition.

I think I still prefer to use something stouter for cleaning any demo units in a store though, before trying them on. Those can get quiet grungy and disgusting after all. I'm talking like your typical electronics or big box type stores btw, like Guitar Center, Best Buy/Magnolia, Sam Ash, and what have you. Rather than the smaller mom & pop or boutique shops that cater to audiophiles, which I assume would pay a little better attention to such things.

I've also heard that sunlight is good for killing the Covid on masks. But would be not recommend doing something like that with a pair of headphones, because of the potentially damaging effects of the sun's heat on the drivers and other sensitive components in the headphones. If you ever left plastic toys in a car on a hot day when you were a kid, I'm sure you'll know what I mean.

 

[HipHopScribe]

I've often wondered about this. Particularly what cleaners and/or conditioners are best to keep pleather or leather earpads in good condition.

I think I still prefer to use something stouter for cleaning any demo units in a store though, before trying them on. Those can get quiet grungy and disgusting after all. I'm talking like your typical electronics or big box type stores btw, like Guitar Center, Best Buy/Magnolia, Sam Ash, and what have you. Rather than the smaller mom & pop or boutique shops that cater to audiophiles, which I assume would pay a little better attention to such things.

I've also heard that sunlight is good for killing the Covid on masks. But would be not recommend doing something like that with a pair of headphones, because of the potentially damaging effects of the sun's heat on the drivers and other sensitive components in the headphones. If you ever left plastic toys in a car on a hot day when you were a kid, I'm sure you'll know what I mean.

I would agree that with demo units in store that see a lot of use it's probably best be safe and use a stronger cleaner

 

[shrewdgamer]

If you're really concerned buy new headphones rather than used, not that you have any guarantee someone working in a factory somewhere didn't touch some part of your headphones or the box with dirty hands.

Hence my question, are there any tests I can run to see if it has any impure elements. I know certain UV lights show stains but I don't know if they work on humans too.

These days the way headphones are being sold, it isn't really clear if the product is a used one or new one.