Are headphones safer than earbuds? How to use earbuds safely?
Yes, headphones are somewhat safer than earbuds for a couple of reasons. They don’t go in the ear, so there’s less risk of infections. Plus, your audio content isn’t pumped directly into your ear canal – but you can still get hearing damage with headphones if you listen too loudly.
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Are bone conduction earbuds safer than traditional earbuds?
It’s possible. For one thing, bone conduction earbuds don’t go in the ear canal, so there’s less risk of ear infections. They also won’t cause hearing loss from a ruptured eardrum. But if you misuse bone conduction earbuds, it’s still possible to damage your inner ear, causing hearing loss.
Bone conductions are also newer technology, meaning we don’t yet know the long-term effects of using these types of headphones.
How to use earbuds safely
You don’t need to ditch your favorite pair of earbuds or switch to headphones or a bone conduction option. By taking steps to use your earbuds correctly, you can reduce the chance of hurting your ears or hearing.
How to wear wired and wireless earbuds
Your best resource will be the instruction booklet that comes with your earbuds. But here are a few things to keep in mind:
Ensure the right fit – If your earbuds come with different tips, make sure you’re choosing the ones that are sized for your ears. If they’re too large, they could hurt your ear canal.
Put them in the correct ears – You’ll notice each earbud has an R or L corresponding to the right and left ears. You may hurt your ear canal if you put the earbuds in the wrong ears. Plus, sound quality will likely suffer.
Insert at the correct angle – When inserting earbuds, angle them up and toward the front of your head. This will help create a better fit since the ear canal angles toward the front and top of your head.
Make sure your ears are clean – If your ears are dirty, you may be more likely to get an infection. Plus, you won’t be able to hear audio content as clearly. But to make sure you don’t hurt your ear canal, clean your ears without Q-tips.
How to keep earbuds at a safe volume
Hearing loss due to earbuds is 100% preventable – you just need to make sure the volume isn’t too loud.
Have you ever wondered, how loud is too loud? To answer that question, we’ll talk briefly about decibels (dB), a measurement used to determine how loud sounds are and if they are safe or could affect your hearing.
Decibels measure the pressure levels created by different volumes of sound. When your ears are exposed to high decibel levels, the resulting pressure can damage your ears. The decibel range goes from 0 dB (sounds so quiet we can’t hear them) to 140 dB (sounds so loud that they cause pain). Listening to anything over 85 dB for a large amount of time can cause permanent hearing loss. To put that in context, a nearby alarm clock is about 80 dB and a blender is 90 dB.
Decibel levels of common sounds
If you’re an adult, try to keep your earbud volume between 60 dB and 85 dB. Kids’ ears are more sensitive and more likely to get damaged. To avoid hearing loss in children, make sure they’re using kids’ headphones that limit the maximum volume to less than 82 dB.
Because here’s the thing: The volume on most listening devices can be cranked up beyond what’s safe for human ears. For example, Apple devices can go over 100 dB. So watch the volume bar and try not to go above 70% of total volume. Also, watch for warnings from your phone or device. If it tells you that your audio volume is too loud, turn down the sound.
Your best bet is to listen at as low a volume as possible. If you’re always cranking up the volume to block out background noise, you may want to give noise-cancelling headphones a try.
Take regular breaks
It’s best to give your ears a break every couple of hours – even five minutes without tunes can help. This will give your ears a rest from the intense vibrations that come with listening with earbuds.
Since bacteria and fungi like to grow in dark, moist places, pulling out the earbuds also gives your ear canal a chance to air out, reducing your chance of infections.
Plus, removing your earbuds gives you a chance to hear what’s going on in the world and to interact with others.
How to clean earbuds (and when to do it)
Clean earbuds are safer, last longer and sound better. But how often should you clean your earbuds? The answer depends on how you use them. If you use your earbuds while doing indoor household chores and you keep them on your desk, you can probably just clean them once every week or two. But if you use them a lot or during sports, you’ll likely need to clean them more often.
A quick clean every week or two
If you regularly use your earbuds, try to give them a quick clean every couple of weeks. Here are the steps:
Disconnect from power – Wired earbuds should be unplugged from your device. Wireless earbuds should be powered off.
Use a damp cloth to wipe off the earbud tips – You can use plain water, soapy water or rubbing alcohol to wipe them down. The cloth should not be drippy – if fluid gets into the headphone circuitry, it could affect how well they work. For the same reason, you should not submerge your earbuds unless they are waterproof.
Dry before storage – Use a microfiber cloth to dry your earbuds immediately after cleaning.
Dry off after sweaty or wet activities
If your earbuds get covered in sweat or water, rinse and dry them as soon as you can. Your earbuds should be completely dry before charging or storage. If you’re at the gym or pool and don’t have time to allow them to dry before storing them, put them in a plastic bag with a silicone gel pack until you get home.
A bigger clean when needed
The best way to know if your earbuds need a bigger clean is to look at them. If they are covered in earwax, dust, oil, sweat or sticky fingerprints, they need to be cleaned. Here are the steps:
Pull off the ear tips and then gently remove the wax. An inexpensive earwax removal tool can make the process much easier. The loop side of the tool can help you scoop out the earwax, and the brush end helps to loosen any residue left on the earbuds. You can also use an unused toothbrush for this step.
Wipe the earbuds using a cloth dampened with soapy water – dish detergent usually works best.
Dry with a microfiber cloth.
If you have AirPods or other earbuds that are stored in a case, you’ll want to take time to clean the connectors and the case. A dry cloth can work. Another option is a moistened (but not dripping) Q-tip. If there’s any residue on the connectors, use the cleaning tool to gently remove it.
How to store earbuds
Always make sure your earbuds are clean and completely dry before storing them in a case. If you don’t have a case, try to store your earbuds in a place where they won’t get dirty. If you’re worried about humidity, it can be helpful to store them in a bag with a silica gel pack.
