[headcoatman]

So...
I have the Plantronics Backbeat Pro headphones. As far as I can tell, the earpads are not removable. 
 
I've been wearing them six days a week while I work, since April, and it's sweaty work. About a week ago I noticed the most horrid odor coming from the ear cups and headband, as well as sweat stains and odor on the cloth covering the driver (inside the cups). The odor is so intense that it actually remains on my head once I take off the cans.
 
I'm a clean person--please don't tell me I need to wash my hair. 
 
After reading through a ton of posts on various forums regarding this issue, I tried...nearly every suggestion:
 

• Vinegar (I poured some on paper towels, then wiped down the cups, headband, and even wiped the cloth over the driver, which I realize could be a bad idea. But I was hoping something would get rid of the odor and stains emanating from there.
• I put the headphones in a Ziploc bag with an open box of baking soda for several hours.
• I put the headphones in a Ziploc bag with activated charcoal for several hours.
• I wiped them down with rubbing alcohol.
• I sprayed them down with Febreze.
• I wiped them down with Simple Green.
• I sprayed them with Lysol.
• I sprayed them with Odo-Ban.
• I left them in the window to get some sun exposure and hopefully dry out.

 
And now? The headphones smell like vinegar, Simple Green, Febreeze, Lysol, Odo-Ban AND SWEAT.
 
It's possible that some of these aforementioned attempts might work if I tried them for a longer period of time. Does anyone have any experience with that? The baking soda, or the activated charcoal...do they need to sit for multiple days? Maybe the problem is that I'm still wearing the headphones every day at work, and not giving those remedies a long enough time to do their job.
 
Really, I'm at a loss. These are the best headphones I've tried, but unless I can find some remedy for this odor issue (which will likely be an ongoing issue) I'm not sure I'll be able to wear them anymore.
 
The other products I've seen mentioned but haven't tried yet are Thirsty Hippo and Detol Wipes. There's also a product called Goby Labs Headphone Cleaner.
 
And I've seen the Garfield Headphone Softies at BHPhoto. I'm thinking if I can get a handle on the odor, then popping those covers on the headphones might prevent future stink.
 
Help?

 

[Music Alchemist]

If I were you, I'd just get better headphones with detachable pads. (Sorry I couldn't give advice on the dilemma at hand.)

 

[headcoatman]

I hear ya, I'm just not ready to eat the $200 after only 5 months of use.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I hear ya, I'm just not ready to eat the $200 after only 5 months of use.

 
What I often do is buy, sell, and trade used headphones. You could make some of your money back that way or even trade for something better, as long as you explain the odor issue beforehand. (Others may be willing to clean it even more thoroughly than you've attempted.)

 

[LNuneek]

I would invest in cheaper work only headphones. Ones in which it's not a big deal to replace every couple of months. Something like $20 Sonys you can pick up anywhere. When they get too filthy from work, just throw em out and buy a new pair.

 

[cel4145]

Have you checked to see if the pads are removable or not? Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UayWmlmgW_k . Sometimes they are a bit harder to pull off than that, but you can see how pads that are removable come off and go on. From the pictures I've seen of your headphone, looks like they might be.

If they are, then good chance you could find pads to replace them. Once you got the pads off, you could smell and see if they are what's causing the problem. Once the pads are off, might not be hard to remove the foam covering the driver and clean it very well if smell is still coming from the headphone.

Check out this post: http://www.head-fi.org/t/746519/huge-comparison-of-almost-all-the-best-bluetooth-headphones-post-your-own-comparisons-here/30#post_11161128 Giogio started that thread and may have tried taking the pads off. Ask there.

 

[everclear]

agree with lnuneek in using a cheaper set for work stuff.  sweat for 6 days/ week into them and also need them to smell nice?  basically, thats asking for too much isnt it?
 
what id do is remove everything that's fabric-based and replace with aftermarket.  if the smells are also entrenched in the metals/plastics, and cant be removed with alcohol, then i guess the answer is even simpler.  open trash can, put headphones in, close trash can.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Since you didn't have any qualms about using sprays on earpads that can't be detached (ie they're near the headphone drivers when you sprayed liquid), try the pet pee odor removers. 

 

[24grant24]

Find a shoe repair place, or high end shoe store and ask if they have an ozone machine. If they are anything like the ones around here they will let you use it for free/cheaply. Otherwise go to a place that specializes in fire damage repair like servepro.

 

[headcoatman]

Find a shoe repair place, or high end shoe store and ask if they have an ozone machine. If they are anything like the ones around here they will let you use it for free/cheaply. Otherwise go to a place that specializes in fire damage repair like servepro.

Ah, the ozone machine is a good idea. Thanks, I'll look into that.

 

[headcoatman]

  Since you didn't have any qualms about using sprays on earpads that can't be detached (ie they're near the headphone drivers when you sprayed liquid), try the pet pee odor removers. 

Yeah, I was/am so frustrated that I got to the point of just spraying. If damage happens, it happens. I might try the pet odor removers. Any specific reason you recommend those?

 

[headcoatman]

  I would invest in cheaper work only headphones. Ones in which it's not a big deal to replace every couple of months. Something like $20 Sonys you can pick up anywhere. When they get too filthy from work, just throw em out and buy a new pair.

I began with cheaper BT headphones for work. BTW, Bluetooth is a must. After a couple years of that I just needed to upgrade for better sound quality. I pretty much immerse myself in the music while I'm working, and the poor sound quality of the cheaper headphones became unacceptable. I'm thinking about trying the Monster iSport Freedom BT headphones. Sweat and water resistant, antimicrobial, etc. But I don't think those ear pads are removable either...and I'm not too hopeful about the sound quality as compared to the excellent Plantronics BackBeat Pro.

 

[headcoatman]

  agree with lnuneek in using a cheaper set for work stuff.  sweat for 6 days/ week into them and also need them to smell nice?  basically, thats asking for too much isnt it?
 
what id do is remove everything that's fabric-based and replace with aftermarket.  if the smells are also entrenched in the metals/plastics, and cant be removed with alcohol, then i guess the answer is even simpler.  open trash can, put headphones in, close trash can.

It's a great idea, I just don't see how to remove the ear pads or the covering over the drivers. But I put in a message to Plantronics and am waiting to hear back. Thanks.

 

[headcoatman]

I went ahead and ordered the Garfield headphone Softies. $20, which seems way overpriced for two little pieces of rayon/chenille, but I couldn't find any other companies offering a product that goes over the earcups. Other than sanitary type booties--similar to what one would put over their shoes in a hospital. Those would be useless.
If I can get the odor down to a manageable/acceptable level, then perhaps the Softies, which are also washable, will prevent or at least minimize further odors. But I'm going to research some of the other suggestions as well: Ozone machine, pet pee odor remover.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Yeah, I was/am so frustrated that I got to the point of just spraying. If damage happens, it happens. I might try the pet odor removers. Any specific reason you recommend those?

 

It works on cat hormone and piss, and if a product works on those it will work on anything short of a decomposing corpse. Sometimes stray toms spray or piss outside and it will drive my pets nuts, so I go out there and if I manage to locate it (ie its fresh enough I can see it on the stone wall or the concrete wall of the house), I spray on the exact spot and my cats calm down soon enough. When my pets are sick sometimes they pee outside the litter boxes, or when I foster kittens a couple of my toms aren't as friendly as the others so they'll spray hormones to let the poor kittens know they're outsiders and must be subservient, so I hit the stain with the pet odor remover.