Roll, Pull, and Hold
NIOSH's three steps for soft foam earplugs, with clean hands so dirt and germs stay out of your ears:
- Roll: squeeze the whole earplug between your fingers into a small, thin "snake." Howard Leight says to make it the narrowest crease-free cylinder you can, since a crease leaves a channel for sound.
- Pull: with your opposite hand, reach over your head and pull the top of your ear up and back. This straightens the ear canal, so the rolled plug slides right in.
- Hold: keep a fingertip on the end of the plug until it expands to fill the canal. Howard Leight gives 30–40 seconds.
Check the Fit
Three quick checks from NIOSH and Howard Leight:
- Your own voice: it should sound muffled once the plug has sealed (NIOSH).
- Depth: most of the foam should be inside the ear canal (NIOSH). From the front, someone looking at you shouldn't see the end of the plug (Howard Leight).
- Cupped hands: cup your hands tightly over your ears, then release. With a good seal, the sound changes little. If sounds get much more muffled with your hands in place, the plug isn't sealing, so take it out and fit it again.
NIOSH says hearing protection is often worn incorrectly, and that one-on-one training to insert earplugs gives the best fit. Howard Leight warns that an improper fit compromises protection and can lead to hearing loss. For how the rating on the packet relates to real use, see what NRR means.
Taking Them Out
Howard Leight says to remove foam earplugs slowly, gently twisting each one while you pull outward, so the seal breaks gradually. Don't yank them straight out.
Its advice on reuse: discard single-use earplugs after use for hygiene, and throw away any plug that is damaged or has gone hard.
When to Wear Them
NIOSH's recommended exposure limit is 85 dBA, and it advises choosing protection that brings your exposure below that level. To find out whether a place is that loud, measure it with our decibel meter on your phone, or use the concert decibel meter at a gig, which also shows how long the level is safe.
Foam plugs can make music and voices sound muffled. For concerts, many people prefer reusable hi-fi plugs: see our concert earplugs guide. For quiet nights, the sleep earplugs guide compares foam and reusable pairs.