6. Maintenance and care

If you’re in the recording or live sound industries, microphones are critical assets for your business. And they're very visible to your clients in the studio and on stage. This means that your microphones not only need to perform flawlessly – they should also look good!

Most microphones only require minimal technical maintenance. Check that all switches work and make sure that there are no loose connectors or other parts and that the elastic parts of the shock mount aren't worn out.

Most manufacturers provide instructions for cleaning. Typically, the body of the microphone can be wiped off with a soft, slightly damp cloth and a little bit of dish soap. But do make absolutely sure that no water gets into the capsule, especially with condenser microphones! Some headsets and lavalier microphones can be submerged in water, but this should obviously only be done if the manufacturer explicitly states that it's safe.

Grills, foam inlays and windscreens can often be taken off and cleaned separately. It's usually safe to wash these parts in water and let them dry thoroughly. Foam inlays and grills, along with elastic bands for shock mounts, tend to be the only parts of a microphone that can easily be replaced. But this is usually only necessary after decades of use, or never.