Whether enjoying a podcast, listening to music, or chatting on the phone, many of us spend hours a day using our headphones. One study 2017 of 4,185 Australians showed that they used headphones on average between 47 and 88 hours a month.

Health advice about headphones tends to focus on how loud sounds can affect our hearing. For example, to prevent hearing loss, the The World Health Organization advises People are advised to keep the volume below 60% of their device’s maximum and to use devices that control sound exposure and limit volume.

But apart from sound, what else passes through our ears? Using headphones, especially in-ear versions like earbuds, blocks the ear canal and puts your skin in contact with dirt or bacteria they may contain.

Here’s what you need to know to keep your ears clean and safe.

First, let’s take a look at your ear.

Supra-aural headphones cover the entire outer ear: the elastic cartilage covered by skin that is shaped to trap sound waves. In-ear headphones (as well as headphones) are shaped to fit and cover the entrance to the external auditory canal, which is called the concha.

Sound vibrations travel through the ear canal, which is S-shaped and a few centimeters long, until they reach the eardrum.

The deeper parts of the ear canal produce earwax and oils. These help keep the skin healthy, hydrated and less vulnerable to infections.

The small hairs in the ear canal also help regulate temperature and keep foreign debris away. These hairs and earwax help trap and move small particles, loosen skin and bacteria out of the ear canal.

Earwax is the ear’s self-cleaning method and we only tend to notice it when there is too much of it.

Excessive buildup can block your hearing or even clog the mesh of your headphones. But don’t try to remove earwax yourself. If you are concerned, speak to a pharmacist or GP for advice.

How headphones can affect ear bacteria

Healthy ear canals are home to a variety of non-harmful microbes, primarily bacteria, but also fungi and viruses. They compete for space and nutrients, and this diversity makes it more complicated for possible pathogens (disease-causing microorganisms) to establish.

But using headphones (and other in-ear devices like headphones or earplugs) can upset the balance between “good” and “bad” bacteria.

One 2024 study They compared bacteria in the external ear canals of 50 people who used hearing aids and 80 who did not. The researchers found that hearing aid users (whose external ear canals are blocked for long periods) had fewer types of bacteria than those without hearing aids.

Other study 2025 looked at how using headphones (including on-ear, in-ear, and on-ear headphones) affected fungi and bacteria in the ear canal. It found that using headphones was linked to an increased risk of ear infections, especially if people shared them.

This may be because the use of headphones (especially in-ear headphones) makes the external ear canal more difficult to function. hottest and more wet. Trapped moisture is especially likely if you exercise and sweat while wearing headphones.

Higher humidity increases your risk of ear infection and discharge, including pus.

Using internal devices, such as headphones or earphones, for long periods of time can also interfere with the natural “self-cleaning” function of the ear, helped by earwax.

So what should I do?

Most of us need, or like, to use headphones in our daily routines. But for good ear health, it’s important to give them a break.

Allow your ear canals to “breathe” at different times during the day so they are not constantly blocked and wet and hot.

You could also try bone conduction headphones. These do not block the ear canal because they transmit sound through the skull directly to the inner ear, without the need to block the ear canal. However, these can be expensive. And while they allow our ears to breathe, high-intensity (high volume) vibrations can still damage hearing, so, as with all headphones, caution is required.

Other tips

Clean your devices regularly

Recommendations range of once a week daily or after physical training.

For example, you can wipe them clean or use a soft-bristled children’s toothbrush moistened with slightly soapy water. Pat dry with a paper towel and let dry a few hours before recharging or reusing.

But it is best to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. And don’t forget to clean the case and body of your headphones as well.

Don’t use headphones when you are sick

If you have a ear infectionAvoid using headphones as they can increase the temperature and humidity in the ear and delay recovery.

Watch for symptoms

If your ears become itchy, red, or discharged, stop using in-ear devices and seek medical attention.