etymotic tips - cleaning etc.

[jon_m]

just got some new earphones. Was wondering what's the best way to clean the flanges - hot water, cold water, alcohol... And how often to people clean them

Also, can the foam tips be cleaned/reused at all? Or do they need replacing after each use?

Thanks,

Jon

 

[nelamvr6]

It's funny you should mention it, I just got done cleaning mine.

I just let them soak for a while in a glass with some warm water and dish washing soap.

After a while I rinse them off, let the dry and voila! They're as good as new!

 

[jon_m]

thanks - is that the flanges or the foamies? And how often do you wash them...

 

[nelamvr6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon_m thanks - is that the flanges or the foamies? And how often do you wash them...

Those would be the flanges.

I just clean them whenever I notice they need cleaning. For me that works out to be about once a month.

But I'm not on any kind of strict schedule.

 

[The Monkey]

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er6i-ifu.aspx

 

[jon_m]

thanks. Anything to be done to clean the foamies, or are they just use-and-bin jobs...

 

[bl4cksh33p]

well, I've noticed that once they've become discolored (the flanges), the newish white color cannot be recovered through washing. Sure, soap will make them clean, but they'll still have an ugly yellowish discoloration. Maybe bleach would fix this, but I just buy new tips every once in a while.

 

[nelamvr6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bl4cksh33p well, I've noticed that once they've become discolored (the flanges), the newish white color cannot be recovered through washing. Sure, soap will make them clean, but they'll still have an ugly yellowish discoloration. Maybe bleach would fix this, but I just buy new tips every once in a while.

Yeah, they're not all that expensive. I don't replace them when they're discolored, I can still use them for a while after that. I replace them when they start to loose their elasticity.

 

[TAsunder]

Be careful when using water to clean them. If you don't allow adequate time to dry, water can get into the filters.

 

[ShaftedTwice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAsunder Be careful when using water to clean them. If you don't allow adequate time to dry, water can get into the filters.

Good man. Almost had this happen to me, 'til I remembered about the inside of it. Blowdryer = friend in this case.

 

[LaBreaHead]

Well, since nobody has responded about the foamies ...

According to various past posts, you can clean foamies in water and mild detergent, but they will not retain their full springiness ... chances are that just a single washing will be practical, as they'll probably lose effectiveness over repeated washings. (I've just switched to Comply foams for a pair of Shures, and I would welcome comments on whether those are more or less washable than standard foamies.)

As for "one-and-done" -- I've certainly gotten more than one wearing out of them for both Etymotic and Shure foamies. How clean your ears are makes some difference (and don't forget your hands, as you are supposed to roll them between your fingers to compress them before insertion). But the general expectation is for several wearings, at least -- you'll have to see whether it's a week of heavy use, two weeks, or whatever (of course your mileage will vary).

Also -- when exposed to air, the foamies will gradually lose effectiveness, whether you wear them or not -- so listen as often as you can.

 

[vYu223]

Guys I seriously don't think that it's necessary to soak the flanges in dishwasher fluid or anything at all... not even water. In fact, rinsing them is just fine. The other day, I tried rinsing them with lukewarm water, and they were clean! Then I put a tiny bit of mild soap, then rinsed it. After that, I got a container and made a mixture of drinking water and dishwasher fluid. I soaked it in that solution (in the container, uncovered) while I slept, and next morning I rinsed it and then soaked it in drinking water and let it soak while I was at summer school. When I came back, I rinsed it again, shook as much water as I could out of it, and put it under a usb fan and a desklamp (placed far enough away so that it wouldn't heat up the flanges) while I ate lunch. Half an hour later, I got impatient and wanted to listen to my music. I held the flanges in the light of the desklamp, and there seemed to be no water inside or outside of them. I put the flanges on and inserted the iM716's into my ears. All was good.

There was no need to let it dry for 6 hours. However, I'm afraid that my flanges will forever smell like my dishwasher fluid--lemongrass and orange blossom...

 

[SiBurning]

for the foamies, try straight hydrogen peroxide solution as you get it from a drug store

 

[jon_m]

thanks - I must have waxy ears... mine seem to need the wax cleaning off after each use

 

[AusTex]

Instead of washing them - try going to the drugstore and getting some foam earplugs. I tried a few different types, but I prefer the Wallgreens orange earplugs and they don't cost much at all. I then take a wood food skewer and pierce the plug right through the center. Then I slide the plug down the skewer to the blunt end. The blunt end of the skewer is the same diameter of the Er4's barrel, so the plug slides right on. This improves comfort, outside noise reduction and bass (as long as you don't keep taking them in and out during a listening session.)

Being that the tip of the white flange goes past the end of the barrel, wouldn't this effect the SQ going into the ear a bit?