First and foremost, we here at Podbean send our best wishes to our Podbean family across the globe in light of the coronavirus. All of us wish for the speediest of recoveries for everyone who has been affected and only the safest of passages through this pandemic for everyone.
Best Practices For Cleaning and Sanitizing Your Audio Gear
It is important to have a plan for maintaining your gear and taking good care of your recording space. Many of us spend hours, days, and months (even years!) using our gear to record and produce our podcasts (some of us even record and produce for fellow podcasters). We’re all more focused on cleanliness right now, but it is always important to keep your gear sanitary and in tip-top shape.
We have reached out to our friends at audio gear companies such as Apogee and Focusrite to bring you expert advice for best practices in maintaining, cleaning, and sanitizing your audio gear from microphones to headphones and everything in between!
Cody Cloe
Apple Channel Manager at Apogee Electronics
With the seriousness of COVID-19, we are all doing our best to stay healthy. We’ve heard countless recommended best health practices such as frequently washing our hands, avoiding large gatherings and regularly disinfecting items we come in contact with.
Over the coming weeks, if you find yourself at home with more time than normal, you may decide to spend that time creating content for your podcast. If so, here are some tips on cleaning your audio gear.
A quick google search will provide you with a slew of different practices, some of which can be quite damaging to your product. Since audio equipment can be made up of many different types of material, it’s always best to check with the original manufacturer to avoid causing any damage to your gear.
If you’re using an Apogee product like Hype MiC, here’s how we recommend you clean it.
- Before you begin, disconnect all cables from your Hype MiC. If it’s warm after being disconnected, let it reach room temperature before attempting to clean. This general practice is applicable to all audio products.
- Now that your Hype MiC is disconnected and at room temperature, let’s discuss what type of cleaner to use. We recommend you avoid the often recommended hot, soapy water approach. Instead, go with a 70% solution of Isopropyl. Make sure the bottle states that it’s a 70% solution. Any higher and it can cause damage and any lower may not actually prove beneficial.
- It’s very important that you never spray anything (including compressed air) on your Hype MiC. Instead, apply a small amount of Isopropyl onto a lint free cloth (avoid micro-fiber) and apply a light, gentle, quick coat to you Hype MiC and then wipe with a dry rag. It’s worth noting, soft touch paint or foam can be damaged with prolonged exposure and pushing too hard during application can easily remove UV coating.
- After cleaning, let your Hype MiC sit uncovered for a short period of time. This will allow any excess moisture missed while drying to evaporate.
- After completing the above steps, you’re all set and can get back to your epic content creation session!
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to our support team!
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Daniel Hughley
Marketing Manager Focusrite
I would suggest wiping down all of the surfaces of your audio interface with disinfecting wipes. But check with the CDC and World Health Organization for suggested brands. Don’t forget your headphones!
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Cleaning and maintaining your audio gear does more than keep it clean and germ-free. Maintaining your gear makes sure that it works as well as possible during your podcasting journey. Curious about choosing a microphone? Check out our post here for some tips and tricks to picking out your podcast audio gear!