With the sneezing, coughing, spraying and burping something tells me I should be cleaning my microphone. No chance I can just throw it in the washing machine?
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How do you clean your microphone?
- Thread starter Dr. Daliah
- Start date
True story: When I was a 17 year old newbie DJ, I was the last person on the air before signing the station off at midnight. At 10PM every night, the cleaning people came through the office to empty trash, sweep the floors, and empty the ash trays. Everyone smoked in those days. One night, the cleaning lady sprayed Lysol on the mic wind screen. I'm sure she thought she was doing us all a favor. The next morning, the wake up guy, who was a legend in our town, spent almost the entire show complaining that I had purposely sprayed Lysol on the mic to tick him off. Of course I was a sleep and didn't hear it, but my father heard him, and woke me to tell me. I had to go in and explain that the cleaning lady did it. As you can expect, the cleaning service was changed, and we never again had the smell of Lysol in our control room.
Too funny. I'll just pour some Listerine on it and let it air dry. Should be good..... 
...at http://radio4all.net/index.php/program/13271 is an aircheck of one of my broadcasts over WSUW at UW-Whitewater from, coincidentially, 10 years ago this month. At about 30 minutes in, I start joking on-air about someone at WSUW doing that same thing there during a spate of colds among the student DJs there...TheBigA said:
At KJCS in Nacogdoches, it was an unwritten policy during cold/flu season to spray the foam windscreen when your shift ended, as a courtesy to the next DJ.
As for actually cleaning the mic, I'm not sure it can be done. I mean, in 12 years in this business, I've never seen anyone clean one. Must be why radio people have strong immune systems.
As for actually cleaning the mic, I'm not sure it can be done. I mean, in 12 years in this business, I've never seen anyone clean one. Must be why radio people have strong immune systems.
There's a simple answer. Buy your own foam windscreen. Or, your own mic.
It probably depends on how you got it dirty.
Is this normal radio use we're talking?
Shoot, even that 'normal radio use' would depend on what station you're at and what you used it for wouldn't it?
So what did you do to make the mic dirty?
Is this normal radio use we're talking?
Shoot, even that 'normal radio use' would depend on what station you're at and what you used it for wouldn't it?
So what did you do to make the mic dirty?
The original question was regarding cold & flu season. Since the vast majority of radio guys work the mic very closely, it's quite possible that "bodily fluids" full of microbes and viruses will be deposited on the mic and/or windscreen.
There are a variety of windscreens available for purchase that mount on any mic. Heck, a wire coathanger and piece of your wife/girlfriend/sister's old pantyhose will get the job done for no cost. It's washable (particularly depending on who you got it from), and acts as a barrier to keep your lips off somebody else's spit.
There are a variety of windscreens available for purchase that mount on any mic. Heck, a wire coathanger and piece of your wife/girlfriend/sister's old pantyhose will get the job done for no cost. It's washable (particularly depending on who you got it from), and acts as a barrier to keep your lips off somebody else's spit.
Spraying any chemicals on the windscreen.By any chances. will any get into the element and ruin it.I like the idea of using your own foam windscreen if possible.
I was just being silly.
Great ideas!! LOL! I have my own mic. Took a whiff and it still smells good. I'm not a germaphobe, just worried that these can start smelling after a while. I don't even want to think about the studio chair...... :-[
Dr. Daliah said:
You get a chair? Those syndication deals must be sweet!
hahahahaha....I had to bring my own, but it wobbles and swivles, the way I like it.
I know most of you will think this is crazy, but at least once or twice a week, I used to pull the windscreen off and wash it in hot, soapy water and dry it with paper towels before I went on the air.
Don't know if it helped, but it did make close up encounters with the mic 'dawn' fresh!
Don't know if it helped, but it did make close up encounters with the mic 'dawn' fresh!
Ask Mike Goldberg from ESPN what he does. That dude is always crawling into the mic.
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