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Thread: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

  1. #1

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    Default How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    I've got some really nasty looking earbuds, is there any secret ingredient that you can use to get rid of the earwax staining? I've tried soaking them overnight in water with bicarb soda and it has done very little.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    Have you tried plain old water and grease cutting dish soap?
    Stolen from EddieV:
    Boom, ching, boom boom ching, fuggadugga fuggadugga fuggadugga crash. Rinse, Repeat ad-nauseum.

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    Come on Mark. You steal copy. Just look at your signature.
    Quote Originally Posted by Texdrumr View Post
    Nothing says 'tough' like a drummer with ducklings on his drums. Ha!

  3. #3

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    Dawn dishwashing soap ? WD-40 might work as well, as its primary purpose is a "cleaner" - I know it takes off a lot of old hardened sticky tape glue - and it wont hurt the silicone rubber
    Yamaha Oak Custom 22x17 with Brass Kick Port, Brass Hoop Claws,10-12-14 racks, 16 Floor and all toms have Brass Hoops and a Tama Starclassic Bubinga Elite 14x6.5 snare in Quilted Mocha Burst and Black Nickel hardware. All hi-end Zildjian Cymbals - K Dark Thin crashes & splashes, a Zildjian A crash & a Meinl 16" crash, Avedis Zildjian 1964 ride, K Custom hats plus New Beat hats on Closed X-Hat.


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  4. #4

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    Quote Originally Posted by Warren Wright View Post
    Dawn dishwashing soap ? WD-40 might work as well, as its primary purpose is a "cleaner" - I know it takes off a lot of old hardened sticky tape glue - and it wont hurt the silicone rubber
    I used wd40 to take off an old bass drum impact badge. Works like a charm!
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

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  5. #5

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    The stains will not come off. My wife just received her first hearing aid and during the consultation, the hearing aid tech warned her against getting the clear tubing due to the yellow stains from the natural discoloration of silicone as it ages. Silicone will yellow with age regardless if it's used in the ear or if it used as a sealant. Heat and light will make some grades of silicone turn yellow. If you're self-conscience about the stains, replace the ear buds with new ones. The hearing aid tech recommends replacing the ear piece every year due to discoloration or purchase colored tubing to hide the stains.

    Last edited by late8; 12-02-2014 at 02:02 PM.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    I have been wearing hearing heads for the last 6 years and I get the tubes changed every 4 months or whenever the start to stiffen up and get uncomfortable. As for the ear piece I soak them in 3% peroxide and it gurgles out the bacteria from the air hole and tubes. Rinse them with warm water and vinegar. Never had any ear infection etc. As for the ear piece tip it does yellow after time but no one sees it. I would not wear colored tubes as they would look too obvious. That is one thing about wearing hearing aids you don't want them to stick out like a sore thumb.

    Now for band mates colored ear plug look cool cause you know they are not hearing aids.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    I have been wearing hearing heads for the last 6 years and I get the tubes changed every 4 months or whenever the start to stiffen up and get uncomfortable. As for the ear piece I soak them in 3% peroxide and it gurgles out the bacteria from the air hole and tubes. Rinse them with warm water and vinegar. Never had any ear infection etc. As for the ear piece tip it does yellow after time but no one sees it. I would not wear colored tubes as they would look too obvious. That is one thing about wearing hearing aids you don't want them to stick out like a sore thumb.

    Now for band mates colored ear plug look cool cause you know they are not hearing aids.
    My wife loves the colored hearing aids tubes. She teaches special ed. 6th graders and some of her kids feel ashamed to wear a hearing aids or feel less than human because they have a hearing dysfunction. The stigma of wearing a hearing aid is something my wife wants to break at her school. The first day she wore hers, nobody noticed. With today's technical gadgets, ear pieces and ear buds are commonplace but I understand where you're coming from. I think the modern colored ones look cool. It's the yellowing of the silicone tubes that draw attention in my opinion.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    My wife loves the colored hearing aids tubes. She teaches special ed. 6th graders and some of her kids feel ashamed to wear a hearing aids or feel less than human because they have a hearing dysfunction. The stigma of wearing a hearing aid is something my wife wants to break at her school. The first day she wore hers, nobody noticed. With today's technical gadgets, ear pieces and ear buds are commonplace but I understand where you're coming from. I think the modern colored ones look cool. It's the yellowing of the silicone tubes that draw attention in my opinion.
    Gotcha Rich but you know at my age colored tubes would not look so good. Teenagers no problem. I know it took me years to finally get hearing aids and get over the stigma of wearing them. Then I said to myself should I stand there and look like a dummy when people would ask questions or wear hearing aids and hear them lol. Another reason why my hair is long to hide them lol. Your wife is doing the right thing get kids not to be ashamed of wearing hearing aids. Hearing aids have come down in size and less visible than when our Grandfathers had them lol.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Gotcha Rich but you know at my age colored tubes would not look so good. Teenagers no problem. I know it took me years to finally get hearing aids and get over the stigma of wearing them. Then I said to myself should I stand there and look like a dummy when people would ask questions or wear hearing aids and hear them lol. Another reason why my hair is long to hide them lol. Your wife is doing the right thing get kids not to be ashamed of wearing hearing aids. Hearing aids have come down in size and less visible than when our Grandfathers had them lol.
    Gilles, like I've always have said...you're a good man...I like your posts and opinions on many things...keep being you man!!

  10. #10

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    Thanks Rich, I find your post pretty educational most of the times. I wish I had the software like you have for making circles around things. Sometimes people would like to see an illustration say of a part on my tractor or whatever, you know what I mean. Trying to explain where the problem is located. Would be nice to just make a circle, lines etc around it like you do. Explain how you that man.
    Thanks
    Gilles

  11. #11

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Thanks Rich, I find your post pretty educational most of the times. I wish I had the software like you have for making circles around things. Sometimes people would like to see an illustration say of a part on my tractor or whatever, you know what I mean. Trying to explain where the problem is located. Would be nice to just make a circle, lines etc around it like you do. Explain how you that man.
    Thanks
    Gilles
    Microsoft Paint.
    Stolen from EddieV:
    Boom, ching, boom boom ching, fuggadugga fuggadugga fuggadugga crash. Rinse, Repeat ad-nauseum.

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Come on Mark. You steal copy. Just look at your signature.
    Quote Originally Posted by Texdrumr View Post
    Nothing says 'tough' like a drummer with ducklings on his drums. Ha!

  12. #12

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    Thanks Mark, I have heard of it but did not know what it was Maybe I already have it. Will check it out for sure. Thanks

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Thanks Mark, I have heard of it but did not know what it was Maybe I already have it. Will check it out for sure. Thanks
    I don't know what operating system you have or if you're running a Windows PC. If you are running Windows, go to the start menu, All Programs, Accessories. Or just use search. It's standard on all Windows PCs.
    Stolen from EddieV:
    Boom, ching, boom boom ching, fuggadugga fuggadugga fuggadugga crash. Rinse, Repeat ad-nauseum.

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Come on Mark. You steal copy. Just look at your signature.
    Quote Originally Posted by Texdrumr View Post
    Nothing says 'tough' like a drummer with ducklings on his drums. Ha!

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Markadiddle View Post
    Microsoft Paint.
    Yes....MS paint...don't own Photoshop or any of those fancy software programs.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Markadiddle View Post
    I don't know what operating system you have or if you're running a Windows PC. If you are running Windows, go to the start menu, All Programs, Accessories. Or just use search. It's standard on all Windows PCs.
    Thanks man I found it under accessories. Now I got to figure out how to use it

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Thanks man I found it under accessories. Now I got to figure out how to use it
    Pm me with any questions...I'll be happy to help!!!

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    Yes....MS paint...don't own Photoshop or any of those fancy software programs.
    GIMP for windows. Almost as good as Photoshop. The best thing about it, it's free.

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Thanks man I found it under accessories. Now I got to figure out how to use it
    Piece of cake. Launch the program, open a picture. Grab a tool from the toolbar and go to town!

    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    Pm me with any questions...I'll be happy to help!!!
    Mr. late8 is da man!
    Stolen from EddieV:
    Boom, ching, boom boom ching, fuggadugga fuggadugga fuggadugga crash. Rinse, Repeat ad-nauseum.

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Come on Mark. You steal copy. Just look at your signature.
    Quote Originally Posted by Texdrumr View Post
    Nothing says 'tough' like a drummer with ducklings on his drums. Ha!

  18. #18

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    Thanks man I found it under accessories. Now I got to figure out how to use it
    Don't worry, MS Paint takes seconds to learn! Easy as 123!

  19. #19

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    Default Re: How do you clean silicone earbuds?

    Quote Originally Posted by unsquared View Post
    I've got some really nasty looking earbuds, is there any secret ingredient that you can use to get rid of the earwax staining? I've tried soaking them overnight in water with bicarb soda and it has done very little.
    You might not get the stains out, I wear headphones for drumming, but I use silicon earbuds for shooting and after each target practice I wash them in hot water with dish soap, afterwards I'll soak them in alcohol for about a half hour or so. If you don't like the stains I would buy a new pair, mine are orange so it never shows.
    Wear hearing protection.

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