How To Clean Pop Filter
It’s possible that pop filters are filthy, but I’m going to assume that you already know that. In this post, I will demonstrate how to clean, and in some cases wash and disinfect, the many types of pop filters that are on the market today so that you may maintain their sanitary condition and ensure that they do not harbor any bacteria. Shall we leap right into it, if you don’t mind?
What is a pop filter?
When it comes to protecting your microphone from plosive sounds, pop filters are the first line of defense. These are the sounds that cause sudden bursts of air to be sucked into your microphone whenever you say words that contain the letters P or B.
Due to the fact that they are often positioned between the microphone capsule and your mouth, they are able to absorb everything that is expelled from your mouth. Not only do they take in the air, the voice, and the words, but they also take in the saliva that is subconsciously expelled from your mouth as you talk.
This results in your pop filter becoming highly dusty and odorous after a period of time has passed. Let’s have a look at the numerous levels of pop filters that are available on the market today and how they should be cleaned.
How Does a Pop Filter or Foam Mic Cover Work?
Instrumentalists and recording studios both make use of items such as pop filters and foam mic covers. The reduction of noise is the primary objective, and in this post I will explain the distinctions between the two approaches.
Certain sounds, known as plosives, when sung or spoken into a microphone produce a fast-moving stream of air to contact the microphone, which results in popping noises that distort and ruin the vocals.
This stream is physically filtered out by the pop filter before it has a chance to contact the microphone, which results in a clean vocal performance that is free of any distracting noise.
Another, less desirable function of this accessory is to shield the microphone from the spittle and germs that are flung into the air as a performer belts out their most recent song with dubious lyrical content.
What Are Pop Filters Made Up of?
The most common method for producing pop filters and mic covers involves layering acoustically semi-transparent woven nylon into the shape of a cover or filter that either wraps around a microphone or is stretched over a circular frame that is attached in front of a microphone.
Do You Really Have to Clean Mic Covers?
To tell you the truth, you really ought to. When working at a recording studio, you may expect to have multiple clients stop by on a daily basis. These clients may be there to record a song, a voice-over, a cheesy romantic wedding cover, or even a wicked monologue that will be broadcast at a later time.
Each of these musicians brings with them their own unique strain of pathogens, viral plague, halitosis, and an army of other unknown unpleasant extraterrestrial invaders, all of which they will unmercifully attack your pop filter or mic cover with.
It is of the utmost importance to maintain a spotless environment, particularly in light of the pandemic that is currently spreading devastation across the world.
If concerns about hygiene weren’t sufficient, the fact that dirt and spit are trapped inside mic covers will, in the end, also have a marginally negative impact on the quality of recordings. And that is not something that should be taken lightly at all.