I just dropped my earphones in gutter water!

[Rojo]

So I was getting out of a taxi while my headphones were on, and I guess my hand knocked the long cord, and the earplugs went flying out of my ears and straight into some nasty water in the gutter. I instantly yanked them up so fast, they couldn't have been in there for more than half a second. I cleaned them up, the best I could -- and cleaned them even more once I got to work with a damp towel. They seem fine, but...I just can't forget that they were in nasty gutter water.

Worse of all, they're brand new iPhone headphones that I JUST got replaced! Do you think they're ok, or should I not even let something that was in that kind of water anywhere near my ear?

 

[ElecEagle]

*shrug* I'd probably go ahead and use them if they aren't damaged.

'Gutter' water is usually just water and whatever vegetation, oil, and misc substances that are washed off the road ...it's hardly 'sewer' water, but then again, it depends on the neighborhood .

 

[Rojo]

*shrug* I'd probably go ahead and use them if they aren't damaged.

'Gutter' water is usually just water and whatever vegetation, oil, and misc substances that are washed off the road ...it's hardly 'sewer' water, but then again, it depends on the neighborhood .

It's Midtown, NYC -- so who KNOWS what's in that water!!!

I know it's probably no big deal, and totally a psychological thing -- but if you could have seen that water, you might have a hard time putting them in your ears afterwards too...

 

[rdowns]

Oh please. You probably eat hot dogs that have been cooking in dirtier water than that.

BTW, I wouldn't use those ear phones in your ear.

 

[Ryanhdd]

Just let them dry out real good. Put them in a bag of dry rice over night and they should be fine.

 

[dlamin517]

i woudnt use them. thats pretty gross dude

 

[MICHAELSD]

Yeah, that's really gross. It's only a cheap pair of headphones, it's worth using them when they were in water that's pretty much a mix of all of the grossest **** you can think of. Now you have an excuse to get a good pair . Pretty much any decent in-ear earphones wouldn't have fell.

 

[dubbedout]

those headphones are pretty durable, I washed my original iPhone earphones like twice and they still worked fine!

 

[Rojo]

Well they WORK -- I can hear sound coming out of them. But I have yet to put them back in my ears!

Ugh, I can get another pair, I guess -- it's just $30.

 

[ipedro]

You're concerned about them being dirty so... wash them. Contrary to popular belief, you can wash electronics as long as they're not powered.

Earphones don't have a battery or a capacitor so you're good to give them a nice soapy wash. Allow them to dry thoroughly (at least over night) before plugging them back in.

The best way to insure that they're really dry is to put them in a small sealed jar with a bag or two of silica gel (those little bags that come with electronics) over night. If you don't have silica, a small bunch of rice will work too as somebody mentioned above.

They'll be as good as new.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Don't spend $30 on a ****** Apple pair of headphones. Get a decent pair for at least $50, you definitely won't regret it.