Headphone earpads suddenly degraded and sticky

[Jumpeyspyder]

Hi All,

Pulled out my DT100s earlier today and they were suddenly very nasty!
(Had them 15 years so not too bad ) but were fine last time I used them!
Same happened to Sennheiser HD212 5 year ago
HD 25s also 15 years old are just starting to feel clammy

I can get replacement pads - but is there anything I can do to prolong earpad life ?

[Sam Spoons]

15 years out of a set of $10 ear pads? I think you're doing pretty well TBH.........

I imagine it is sweat (which is acidic) that eventually destroys the plastic ear pads (I had a set of Sennheisers with foam pads do the same many years ago) so wiping them with a damp cloth after use should help. Get back to us in 2033 and let us know ow you got on

[Guest]

A warning: a few years ago I used an old pair of high quality monitoring headphones that I had got used to and didn't want to change. The vinyl covering had come off and headphones often make my head sweat. I then discovered I had a flaky scalp, skin started peeling off, and my hair started thinning because there was little unaffected scalp. This was almost certainly the result of using these headphones. It took ages to find a cure although when I did the problem went away in two and a half weeks.
When I went to the same shop to replace them the updated version were even better and cheaper.

[The Elf]

They go like that. One pair of DT100s lasted only around 18 months before they became like sticky liquorice and artists were wandering around with black rings around their ears!

[Drew Stephenson]

Just happened to my car steering wheel as well, which is just old enough to drink in the US.