How to Use Earplugs Correctly

When you need to focus or just stay in silence, earplugs can be your best choice. But to make these little helpers more efficient, you need to know how to use them correctly.

At 5-Minute Crafts, we would like to tell you about how to avoid mistakes when using earplugs.

How to use soft foam earplugs

1. Before using earplugs, wash your hands thoroughly and dry them with a towel.

2. Squeeze the earplugs between your fingers and roll them back and forth until they take the shape of a thin sausage.
❗ Roll the earplugs to make them thinner lengthwise, don’t roll them into a ball.

3. Stand in front of the mirror and pull the top of your ear up and back with one hand slightly.

4. Slowly and carefully insert the earplug into the ear canal without pushing or putting it too far into the ear.

5. Hold the outer end of the first earplug with your finger for a while so that it expands inside and fills the ear canal.

6. Repeat the process for the other ear.

7. Make sure you’ve inserted the earplugs correctly. To do this, place your palms over your ears and listen. If this makes sounds more muffled, the earplugs aren’t working as expected. You should repeat all the steps again, and if that doesn’t help, use different earplugs.

❗ Please note that if earplugs fit correctly, they should not protrude much from the ear and should be almost invisible to anyone looking at you from the front.

✅ If you find that the earplugs are too big for your ears, you can snip the ends that stick out of your ears with scissors or a sharp knife.

How to insert wax earplugs

Wax and silicone earplugs easily adapt to the shape of any ear, so you may find these more comfortable than foam earplugs.

1. Before using the earplugs, wash your hands thoroughly and dry them with a towel.

2. Take an earplug out of the packaging and carefully remove the surrounding cotton wool by rolling the ball between your fingers.

3. Put the wax ball on your palm and warm it until the material becomes more pliable.

4. Shape the earplugs into small cones and gently insert them into your ears.

5. Smooth out the outside of the wax earplugs to ensure they seal your ears.

❗ Please note that you shouldn’t put earplugs too far into your ears. They should only close them tightly.

✅ To remove an earplug, press lightly behind your ear, then take it out.

How to put in non-moldable earplugs

Non-moldable earplugs are made from denser and stiffer materials, like rubber. Their shape is designed in line with the shape of the ear canal, you just need to choose the appropriate size.

1. Before using these earplugs, be sure to read the instructions on the packaging. Different shapes of earplugs may require slightly different techniques of insertion.

2. Reach over your head with one hand and pull up on your ear, carefully.

3. Insert the earplug into the ear canal with a gentle rocking motion. Do it until you’ve sealed the ear canal.

❗ Be careful not to insert the earplugs too far to avoid damaging your ear.