When our hired headphones are returned they are inspected and thoroughly brushed and then cleaned with anti-bacterial wipes.

As a hire customer you want to know that the headphones you rent from us are clean and hygienic.

When on hire, over-ear headphones are typically in contact with the wearer’s ears and the top of their head. When our headphones return we stringently process, clean and re-seal them, so that they are pristine for the next customer.

The steps in our headphone hygiene process;

1. When the headphones arrive back, our team handle them with disposable, nitrile gloves and we inspect them for cleanliness. If there is a serious cleanliness issue with the headset we take it out of hired circulation.
2. Any fabric areas on the headphones and their accessories (typically inside the ear enclosures) are gently brushed to remove any caught lint, etc.
3. The headphones, their control switches and their accessories (charging cables, etc) are wiped down using disposable, anti-bacterial wipes which are capable of killing 99% of bacteria including MRSA, as well as flu viruses like H1N1. After leaving the wipes to do their thing we wipe the headphones down with a soft cloth to remove any potential streaks left behind by these wipes.
4. We pack the headphones in individual bags and seal them ready for their next hire. The next time they will be touched will be by the customer.

After cleaning, our headphones are wiped down with a soft dry cloth to remove any potential streaks.

How Can I Keep Headphones Clean at an Event?

If you’re running a professional event and your hired headphones are being used by different guests (for example, at a conference or at an exhibition stand) cleanliness will be on your mind.

To avoid any potential cross-contamination you should consider;

1. Purchasing disposable single-use, headphone ear covers that protect the wearer’s ears from direct contacting with the headphone ear-pads.
2. Place close to the headphones disposable anti-bacterial wipes and a set of simple cleaning instructions for your guests. We find that simple, non-streaking everyday anti-bacterial wipes like these Sainsbury’s wipes are excellent. Like disposable ear covers this approach visibly demonstrates your commitment to your guests’ safety and this can’t be anything but positive.

About Paul Cherry

Paul is the founder of Place Over Ears and came up with the idea of hiring headphones door-to-door after a train ride to London with his mum in 2007. Launched in 2015 with just 6 pairs of headphones, Place Over Ears' hire service now supplies audio kit to UK and international customers.