# How do I clean my earphones?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-earphones/370416>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 27, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-earphones/370416 "2006-08-27T16:10:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-earphones/370416/1 "2006-08-27T16:10:55Z")

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I have [this](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007P4G5I/103-9510391-2165408?v=glance&n=172282) Sony Walkman. How do I clean the earphones? I’m thinking I can use a safety pin or maybe a staple to clean the little holes, but can I/should I gently swab with rubbing alcohol also? I don’t want to force ear wax (I know, yuck, but there you go) further down into the earphones, but I would like to clean them out.

What do the Dopers suggest?

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**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-earphones/370416/2 "2006-08-27T18:01:42Z")

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You might be able to snap off the screens and clean them separately. They appear to be separate pieces of plastic, so give them a light twist or something to make sure they’re not glued in.

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**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-earphones/370416/3 "2006-08-27T18:52:47Z")

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Nope, no go on that. Woulda been awful handy, though.

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**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-earphones/370416/4 "2006-08-27T20:41:02Z")

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When I was working in interpretation, we used to rub down all the headsets that went out with isopropyl alchohol. It seemed to work fairly well as a solvent, and if you’ve got a pretty wet cloth you should be able to dissolve the wax in the screen.

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**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-earphones/370416/5 "2006-08-27T22:15:18Z")

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If alcohol actually gets inside the earphones themselves (not that I’m planning on dousing them or anything!) will that damage them?