How to Stop All Sound with Ear Plugs

Ear plugs are used to block unwanted noise. Blocking sounds may be important to individuals working around loud machinery, gun enthusiasts and hunters, or wives trying to get a good night's sleep despite her husband's snoring. There are many types of ear plugs from which to choose and they vary with respect to how well they block sound, but all essentially work the same way and are inserted in a similar fashion.

Things You'll Need

• Ear plugs

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Instructions

• 1

  Determine the level of hearing protection you require. Your goal is to reduce your noise exposure to below 85 decibels over the course of eight hours. If you work around machinery that is considerably noisier than this, you may consider wearing ear muffs as opposed to ear plugs (or you can wear both). If you are trying to block out quieter noises such as snoring or surrounding chit-chat in an office, ear plugs will serve you well.

• 2

  Insert the ear plugs properly. Making sure the ear plugs are placed correctly in the ear canal will assure you block out as much sound as possible.

  For foam ear plugs, take the plug and twist it between your fingers until it is small enough to fit into the ear canal. Pull the top of your ear upward and backward (toward the crown of your head) to straighten the ear canal. Insert the rolled up plug into your ear and hold it there, allowing it to expand and fill the canal. Most of the ear plug should still be visible on the outside, although it is difficult to insert them too far.

  If you are using rubber ear plugs, insert them by positioning your ear in the same manner and inserting them until they are snugly in place.

• 3

  Consider other types of ear plugs. If you are not blocking enough sound with the ear plugs you are using, consider a different type. Custom made ear plugs are made of a moldable material. Because they are created especially for the unique shape of your ear canal, they may work better at blocking out sound.