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How to properly clean silicone earplugs? Either sleep silicone earplugs, which are 100% made of silicone, or custom-fitted flat-response attenuators, which contains a removable, partly metallic filter (the rest is silicone).

I have read many advice without medical evidence, such as:

  • Fill a bowl with warm water and soap + Insert your ear plugs into the soapy water + Wipe or scrub the ear plugs + Rinse and dry the ear plugs (https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Earplugs)
  • Disinfect dry ear plugs, if desired. Fill a clean spray bottle with a small amount of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Mist dry ear plugs lightly with the alcohol. (https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Earplugs)

For example, I would like the two earplugs on the left to be cleaned to look like the two earplugs on the right:

enter image description here

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    On similar equipment, I have used distilled water with dish soap on the first round, 50% vinegar, 50% distilled water, on the second round, plain distilled water on the third round. // Perhaps the discoloration can't be remedied. Have you tried asking the manufacturer?
    – aparente001
    Jan 20, 2018 at 21:04
  • @aparente001 Thank you, good to know. I don't have any direct contact to the manufacturer.
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Jan 20, 2018 at 21:12

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This is not remedied with alcohol. It is a form of discoloration.

To make them look clean again, use bleach. Silicone can withstand quite a bit of that, but use very warm, not hot/boiling water. This combination also disinfects your gear.

After years of exposure to water and humidity, clear silicone can begin to yellow and blacken. This discoloration is caused by exposure to rust and the formation of mold. Removing the yellow from clear silicone can be accomplished at home without the need for expensive cleaning products.

Step 1

  1. Dip a plastic scrub brush into soapy water.

  2. Scrub the silicone with the soapy water. Dry the area with a soft towel.

  3. Cover any areas around the clear silicone, such as flooring or a bathtub, with paper towel. This will help protect these areas from the cleaners used to remove the yellow stains.

  4. Fill a plastic spray bottle with bleach.

  5. Spray the clear silicone with the bleach. Allow the bleach to sit for 15-20 minutes. This will cause a whitening of the yellowed silicone and will kill any mold or mildew that may have formed.

  6. Wearing rubber gloves, scrub the clear silicone with a plastic scrub brush.

  7. Rinse the bleached area well with cool water. Wipe the area with a soft towel to help remove any residue that may have formed from the cleaning products.

Source: How to Remove the Yellow Color From Clear Silicone

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  • If those are metal parts, remember bleach corrodes some metals.
    – DoctorWhom
    Jan 21, 2018 at 4:08

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