Long live headphones : Headphone care 101

For music lovers, one of the ultimate nightmares is probably watching your expensive headphones disintegrate before your eyes. But even for those who aren’t so crazy about music, taking care of pricey headphones and making sure they last more than two years are good ways to protect your investment. By always taking care of them, you wouldn’t have to buy new ones, you’ll be able to maintain audio quality, and keep them shiny and clean. Here are just a few tips to help you take care of your headphones.
Basic hygiene
Cleanliness is next to godliness. Not only will regular cleaning keep them pretty and presentable, but it will also give your headphones a longer lifespan and keep the bacteria away. Before cleaning, make sure you’ve unplugged them from any device and use screen or alcohol wipe to clear out the dirt and grime. If they’re dirtier than expected, then use mildly soapy water and some cotton buds (before cleaning, make sure the buds aren’t too wet, and slightly squeeze out the bud). The main band and caps however only need an occasional cleaning with a microfiber cloth to keep them shiny and dust-free. And, of course, do not share your headphones. Not that other people automatically have dirty ears, but you never know. If you really want to share them or have to, then make sure to promptly clean them with antibacterial wipes after usage.
Proper storage
Great headphones plus its own little bag or case to keep its safe? That’s a total bonus! If there’s no such special bag though, then just separate them from your other things just to make sure they wouldn’t get squished. Likewise, never stuff your headphones in your pocket. Granted that there might be some foldable models that fit in your baggy jeans but
keeping them this way just makes it easier for wires to get tangled. With all the pressure on the connections, a wire would probably snap soon.
Mind the wire
Like other normal wires, tugging the wires off whatever device by just the lead is a big NO. Always pull out your headphones by the jack to avoid stretching the cables. After using them, make sure to neatly roll them up but not around your device. Doing so would make the wires stretch out and eventually, they’ll break or result in poor audio quality. If your headphones will just be staying in your room, make sure to keep them in a tidy space where you wouldn’t have to worry about tripping over them or catching your pets gnawing on the wires like chew toys.
Keep it low
Keeping the volume low is probably difficult especially if you’re an intense music lover who can’t keep the volume down—but for the sake of your hearing and the headphone’s audio components, do not ignore the audio limits that most devices have. Doing so might damage the speaker cones and tear it up.

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