Making earpads last: the five-minute habit

Earpads die from chemistry, not mileage: skin oils soak the surface, salts stiffen it, and the foam underneath collapses where the oils concentrate. That is why the wear always starts at the same spot — front-bottom, where the jaw meets the cup.

The routine: once a week, a single pass with a slightly damp microfibre cloth — or a dedicated wipe — around the contact surface. Thirty seconds per cup. For leather and protein leather, a proper cleaning fluid every month keeps the surface from drying and cracking; for velour, dry brushing lifts the oils out of the pile.

What kills pads fast: storing headphones pad-down on a desk (constant compression), alcohol-based cleaners (strips plasticisers, cracks leatherette), and sunlight on a headphone stand by the window.

When they do go: flattened foam changes the driver-to-ear distance, which changes the sound — bass first. If a favourite headphone suddenly sounds thin, check the pads before blaming the amp. Replacements for every major platform are in the earpads department, and the fit-finder will tell you which set is yours.