Dos and Don’ts of Maintaining Ear Protection

Ear protection is something that most people need. Whether you are in a noisy job environment or enjoy concerts, there are likely to be times where you need to protect your hearing. The last thing you want to do is realize that you should have seen a hearing health professional for custom ear protection when it is too late, and you already have incurred some form of hearing loss. 

When it comes to ear protection, not only do you need to make sure that you choose something that suits your ears and the level of protection you need. However, you also need to make sure that you maintain your hearing protection too. Not only is this important in ensuring your ear protection lasts for as long as possible, but it is also critical for your health too. If you do not maintain your hearing protection, you could end up with an infection because of bacteria build-up. When caring for your ear protection, consider the following dos and don'ts to keep your solution in optimal shape.

DO: Clean your ear protection:

There is only one place to begin, and this is with the fact that you need to make sure that you clean your ear protection. Even disposable earplugs need to be cleaned in between their uses, although you should typically throw these earplugs away at the end of each day. With custom earplugs, you need to clean them on a daily basis. 

DON'T: Insert them with no thought or guidance

A lot of people receive their earplugs, and they simply insert them into their ears without any thought or professional guidance. If you do not insert your earplugs properly, you will have reduced protection benefits and you will feel uncomfortable too. Plus, this can have an impact on how long your earplugs last.

DO: Go custom

It is highly recommended that you choose custom earplugs. Why? Well, custom earplugs will be designed to fit your ears perfectly. This means that they will be comfortable and they will provide you with optimal protection as well. 

DON'T: Forget to clean your ears

Last but not least, cleaning your earplugs is only part of the process; you need to make sure that you clean your own ears too. While earwax is actually the agent that keeps your ears clean, you can still reduce the amount that ends up on your hearing protection by wiping the outer part of your ears with a dry or damp cloth after showering or bathing. Never insert anything into your ear – including a cotton bud – as this is not needed and could actually push earwax further.