Whether over-ear, on-ear, or in-ear headphones, they are all subject to unavoidable environmental influences in daily use. These can be dust, earwax, or even moisture. Therefore, cleaning the headphones significantly increases their service life. In the following article, you’ll learn how you should best clean a gaming headset depending on the respective type.
Why should I clean a Gaming Headset?
Gaming headsets come into contact with our scalp or ears repeatedly, especially when used regularly. The headsets’ microphone is almost constantly in touch with the mouth or is at least close to it. Therefore, the devices quickly become soiled: dirt particles on our skin, saliva, and sweat collect on the headset with every use.
The result is not only a lack of hygiene, which can lead to skin impurities from further use of the device but also an impairment of the headset functions:
- Earpieces can become clogged and therefore not deliver the appropriate sound quality.
- The microphone becomes clogged and therefore does not pick up everything acoustic correctly, or rather completely.
Therefore, after some time of use without proper cleaning and care, there is truly no need to be surprised if the sound and playback quality of the headset decreases. The typical noise occurs, and people on the other end of the line understand just as little as you do. If you continue to neglect the headset, unpleasant odors also develop. But much worse, dirt gets into the internal elements of the device and may not even let it work properly.
Cleaning Over- & On-Ear Gaming Headsets
- An initial rough cleaning can be performed using a slightly damp microfiber cloth. This helps to remove dirt and superficial particles from the headband, ear cups, and head pad. If vigorous blowing out is not sufficient after removing the ear pads, careful cleaning with a cotton swab or cloth can be performed.
- In the case of breathable genuine leather surfaces, the occasional and sparingly dosed use of leather care products is recommended in order to preserve the soft texture of the material in the long term.
- For materials such as velour or Alcantara, cleaning with a dry microfiber cloth is sufficient.
- A dampened cloth is also fine for imitation leather. For all cleaning processes, care should be taken to remove the residual moisture again with a dry cloth.
- Care or cleaning agents based on solvent-containing substances and numerous home remedy recipes should be avoided at all costs. Running water is also taboo here. This would damage the sensitive electronics.
Cleaning In-Ear Gaming Headsets
- Silicone earmolds are easy to remove earwax. A Q-tip roughly pre-cleans the earwax, and a cloth can be used to clean the earwax. It works even better if the earmolds are removed for this purpose. You can also clean the removed silicone adapter with ph-neutral soap and lukewarm water. Afterward, the earpieces should be dried well with a cloth to prevent liquid from getting into the electronics of the headphones.
- Earmolds made of soft, porous foam must not be cleaned with water, as this will impair the function and quality of the material in the long term. It is recommended to dab the earmolds with a soft cloth gently and to replace them after a certain wearing time, also from a purely hygienic point of view.
- The driver casing, whose surface is affected by fingerprints and other external influences, can be cleaned with a moistened microfiber cloth. The same applies to the cable, the cable splitter, and also a headset or remote control unit integrated into the cable.
Cleaning Jack Plug and Cable
The jack plugs exposed to mechanical stress can be cleaned with a cloth. Special care is not required here. The jack inputs on the headphone housing are different: They offer dirt or other particles an undesirable entry point, provided that no plug occupies the space. If this is the case, tweezers or carefully applied compressed air from the can will help.
Fabric-sheathed cables are easy to clean with a slightly damp cloth. The same applies to silicone-sheathed wires, but they can also be treated with a silicone spray.
Conclusion – How to clean a Gaming Headset
As you have now learned, proper cleaning and care of a headset turn out to be relatively straightforward. Keep the delicate gadget away from moisture and ensure regular cleaning with mild substances – then the gaming headset of any kind will surely stay with you for a long time.
