[cerbie]

In doing some searching, and pretty much deciding on a pair of E3c for my first step into isolation (partly due to listening to music when out somewhere between 8 and 32 times the actual volume I use at home w/ my I5...and the cost vs. opinion differences between E2c and E3c), I found lots of good tips on cleaning of the phones and tips, and what tips are good for what when buying some (I'm one of those people who gets super picky about comfort).

However, not much on keeping the ears themselves clean. What do you guys who use Shures and Etys regularly use on your ears (or does keeping the tips clean usually end up doing the cleaning for you)? I'd be a bit leary of just trying some generic stuff, as I don't know if all such basic kits are made to be used somewhat regularly, as might be required for canalphone use...and I definitely do not want to aggrevate my skin in there, nor increase risk of infection.

 

[Bolt San]

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/buyinpri...earwaxrem.html

 

[kylerk]

As a daily user of ER-6s for the past 3 years I've gotten in the habit of a quick cleaning of my ears with a Q-tip immediately after getting out of the shower, each and every time I shower. The heat and steam from the hot water loosen up anything that may have accumulated since the last one I took, making wax removal quick and easy. It takes me less than 5 seconds per ear. The tips of my ER-6s always look clean. Just to make sure, I regularly wipe them with a isopropyl alcohol drenched cotton pad.

I think my method works pretty well. The one time I tried the Murine Ear Wax Removal System - nothing came out. Judging by the product description and directions, I think this product is for people who totally ignored their aural hygiene over some period of time. I am sure that the period of time one can get away with ignoring normal cleaning before having problems varies greatly from person to person. But anyone who uses in-ear headphones should never let it get to that point.

 

[git20]

I regularly use a dab of isopropyl on the q-tip for my ear and follow with a dry one. I don't have any issues with wax build up in my ear or on my canal-phones.

 

[seattlestiller]

A bamboo Japanese ear cleaner called a 'mimi-kaki'. It is very effective. However, it breaks your mama's rule about sticking foreign objects into your ear.

 

[benjamind]

No joke, I must have removed one full gram of earwax from my left ear canal. One night I was using my UM2s and when I finished with them I noticed that I wasn't hearing things right, my left ear felt sort of pressurised and when I was sleeping on my right ear I could hardly hear anything.

The next day the problem persisted, so I got worried, then I thought about earwax. That night I got some of those earcleaners and cleaned my left ear out. The result was globs and globs of this vile brown gunk. I'd say it would have been a gram of this junk. Well, it's all gone now. Thank heavens! I was worried that my left ear had gone on me. Now I clean my ears twice a week.

 

[EBisky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by benjamind No joke, I must have removed one full gram of earwax from my left ear canal. One night I was using my UM2s and when I finished with them I noticed that I wasn't hearing things right, my left ear felt sort of pressurised and when I was sleeping on my right ear I could hardly hear anything. The next day the problem persisted, so I got worried, then I thought about earwax. That night I got some of those earcleaners and cleaned my left ear out. The result was globs and globs of this vile brown gunk. I'd say it would have been a gram of this junk. Well, it's all gone now. Thank heavens! I was worried that my left ear had gone on me. Now I clean my ears twice a week.

what type of "earcleaners" do you use?

 

[seeberg]

I'd like to know too, as an ER6i owner-man, I freaking love these!
Should I try rubbing (Isopropyl)alcohol on Qtips for myself?

,
Abe

 

[remilard]

Alcohol is drying so it may lead to itching for some people, ymmv.

I recommend against using cotton swabs to clean your ear canals (the package the swabs came in will too) but I gather this is a controversial subject here.

Personally I use a little soap in the shower to clean the part of my ear outside the canal, and let the shower run the soapy water down my ear, this keeps my ears pretty clean. About every second week or as needed I put some hydrogen peroxide (2% dilute anything stronger) in my ears for a few minutes. Murine et al (carbamide peroxide) would work a little better but I'm cheap. My tips come out clean, sometimes a little dry flaky stuff but never sticky wax and usually crystal clean.

 

[seeberg]

Yo, whatup Rem?

You can use hydrogen peroxide? I'll try that if you've had good results with it, and I'll make sure to dilute it if necessary.
Oh, and you have a Ety P-S adaptor, right? Have you tried using it on your UM2's or other headphones and checked the results? I want to try testing my ER6i's with the P-S adaptor and see if it ups the quality running through an amp.

,
Abe

 

[Jonoh]

Another ER6i fanboy here.

I bought some earwax stuff at the drug store and tried that out. I am not sure if it helped or not on my ears. I have used soap and water on my Ety tri-flange tips and also soaked them in the earwax removal stuff for a few minutes. The latter actually worked quite well but I would try the cheaper solutions already listed here first.

 

[seeberg]

I just use hot water on the triflange tips. Works for me

 

[Seijang]

Whatever someone said about the japanese bamboo stick. Except Koreans and Chinese have it too.

My mother cleaned out my ears every 1-2 months when I was younger. Now I can do it myself.

it's basically a thin bamboo rod with a little curved tip at the end. You can just scrape the wax away, although it's not as good with the caked up junk.

It's best to use it after spending a lot of time in water, either pool/shower. Your gunk gets much softer, and it's easy to scrape out.

 

[seeberg]

I'm gonna go clean my ears... in the meantime, visit mc chris's website http://mcchris.com/ and download the album 'Life's a B**ch and I'm Her Pimp'. It's free, and awe-SOOOOMMMME!

bzzao,
Abe

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

I've used the Murine stuff before with good results. It seems to be a matter of developing a good flush with the bulb. But then I found Mimikaki and I'm in heaven. I'm super careful to be in a nice comfortable spot where I'm not going to bump my elbow and I VERY carefull not to shove the thing in too far, but MAN does it work. Got mine in a store in San Francisco's China Town, but Google Mimikaki and you'll find plenty.