GADGET GIZMO CARE SPECIAL........ How to take care of your headphones the right way

How to take care of your headphones the right way





You use them all day, but are you ensuring they are maintained just as well? Read on

Headphones or earphones are crucial to music listening and staying sane, so it's important that you treat them with care and respect.Keeping them in top condition is good for both your hygiene and audio fidelity, so we've put together tips for doing just that:

Using

Take care of your headphones while you're using them, as it can make more of a difference than you think. Even basic precautions, like avoiding very high or very low temperatures, and pulling on the end plug rather than yanking on the cable to remove them, can have an impact.

At the more expensive end of the scale, Dr Dre reminds us that liquids and high humidity should be avoided. It's also worth considering the size of your eartips, if applicable. The advice from Bose is to check for dirt and damage on a regular basis and give your headphones a quick wipe down after extended periods of use.

Depending on the make, you may be able to replace certain parts (like the ear cushions or the ear tips) rather than using the damaged or worn originals.

Cleaning

It goes without saying that water and cleaning products don't mix well with electronics. A soft cloth, warm water and perhaps a little soap are usually the best way of keeping your headphones sparkling. Err on the side of caution when it comes to the amount of soap to use.

You might also find a dry toothbrush helpful to dislodge dirt and grime inside meshed areas that a cloth can't reach.

If your earbuds have silicon tops, then remove them to clean them separately; Focus most on the parts that come in contact with your ears.

Storing

You should store your headphones in a clean, dry place and make use of the supplied case where available. Again, temperature extremes are best avoided you might want to think about that before leaving your equipment sweltering or freezing inside a car. If your headphones or earphones need folding up, follow the instructions to reduce wear and tear.

Tangled cabling is a perennial problem and one that can cut down your listening time by a good two or three minutes when you set out from the house. One way to avoid this, aside from using a case that keeps the cable organised, is to wrap them carefully in a figure-eight shape around two of your fingers.

Taking better care of your headphones isn't particularly dif ficult or time consuming, but the long-term effects are going to be noticeable .

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