Material

How long do custom earplugs last? Lifespan, fit check and replacement

Fons van den Oord9 September 2025Updated 23 October 20267 min read

Specialist taking an ear impression of an employee at the office for custom earplugs

As a guide, custom earplugs last about 4 to 5 years with normal use and good care. Exactly how long depends on the material, how intensively you wear them and how your ears change. So have them checked regularly with a fit check and replace your custom earplugs as soon as they no longer seal properly.

That guide is in line with what occupational health and safety sources say. The Arbocatalogus Grafimedia, a Dutch occupational health and safety catalogue for the printing and media sector, assumes a lifespan of 2 to 4 years with continuous use during working hours, based on 220 working days a year. Ambulancezorg Nederland, the Dutch ambulance care association, states that a custom earplug that is used carefully generally lasts four to six years. Below, you will read what determines the lifespan, how a fit check works and when it is time for a new impression.

When it is time for new custom earplugs, a partner hearing centre takes new impressions of your ears. The ear impressions are included in the price and you pay at the hearing centre.

Lifespan at a glance

Situation	Guide	Source
Continuous use during working hours (220 working days a year)	2 to 4 years	Arbocatalogus Grafimedia
Careful use	4 to 6 years	Ambulancezorg Nederland
Normal use with good care	about 4 to 5 years	guide based on the sources above
Children	often shorter, because ears are still growing	have the fit checked more often

So the lifespan is not a fixed expiry date. The most important criterion is not the age of your custom earplug, but whether it still seals properly. That is why the Dutch occupational health and safety catalogues (arbocatalogi) recommend a periodic fit check.

What determines how long custom earplugs last?

How often and where you wear them

If you wear your custom earplugs for eight hours every working day in a dusty workshop, you put far more strain on them than someone who takes them to a concert a few times a year. Dust, grease, moisture and sweat get into and onto the material and into the filter. That is also why the Arbocatalogus Grafimedia mentions a shorter lifespan for continuous use during working hours.

Acrylic or silicone

Hard acrylic is sturdy and easy to clean, which makes it suitable for intensive use. Silicone is soft and flexible and offers extra wearing comfort. Which material lasts longest for you depends mainly on how you use and care for your custom earplugs. Read more in hard acrylic or silicone, which should you choose?

Your ears change

A custom earplug is made from an impression of your ear at one moment in time. Your ears and ear canal can change over the years. A custom earplug that fitted perfectly at first can therefore gradually seal less well. You do not always notice this yourself, and that is what makes the fit check so valuable.

Care and storage

Custom earplugs that are cleaned regularly and stored dry in a case last longer than ones that lie loose in a coat pocket or in a hot car. A clean filter also keeps working better.

A fit check shows whether your custom earplug still seals properly

A fit check tests whether your custom earplug still seals your ear canal properly, without leaks around the edge. If a custom earplug leaks, it protects less well, even if it still seems to sit fine. This is what the sources say.

According to the Arbocatalogus Grafimedia, custom earplugs should be tested for leaks periodically, preferably every year.
The Agroarbo catalogue from Stigas for vegetable seed companies requires custom earplugs to have a fit check every year. Take out a maintenance contract for this.
Ambulancezorg Nederland points out that official fit checks for custom earplugs are available and that it is advisable to have them done periodically.

Quick self-test

Ambulancezorg Nederland describes a simple test you can do yourself. In a noisy environment, cover your outer ears with your hands. If you notice a clear difference in the noise level, your hearing protection is probably not fitted properly. Then put your earplugs in again. If the difference remains, have them checked. This self-test does not replace an official fit check.

For employers

Under the Dutch Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit), employers must provide suitable, properly fitted hearing protection where there is noise. An annual fit check helps to show that the protection still works. Include this check in your planning alongside the risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E). Read more about the rules in what does the Dutch Working Conditions Act say about hearing protection at work?

When should you have new ear impressions taken?

It is time for a new impression if you recognise one or more of these signs.

the fit check shows that your custom earplug no longer seals properly;
it is loose, slides or falls out, for example when you talk or chew;
you get pressure points or irritation in your ear;
you see small cracks, damage or discolouration in the material;
you clearly hear more noise than before, even though the filter is clean.

Do you have problems with your ear, such as pain or an infection? Then stop wearing them and contact your GP (huisarts). If your custom earplug presses on one particular spot, first check whether you are inserting it correctly. What else you can do is explained in custom earplugs that hurt.

Check more often for children

Children's ears are still growing. A custom earplug that fitted well last year may now be too small. So have the fit checked more often for children and expect to need a new impression sooner. See our custom earplugs for children.

With good care, they last longer

Clean them regularly according to the instructions. How to do this is explained in cleaning custom earplugs in 4 steps.
Store them dry in the case that comes with your custom earplugs.
Avoid heat and direct sunlight, for example on the dashboard of your car.
Keep the filter clean and replace it if it is damaged or dirty.
Have them checked periodically, preferably every year with a fit check.

Many problems are caused by small habits, such as inserting earplugs with dirty hands or keeping them loose in your bag. Also read common mistakes when using custom earplugs.

Replace the filter or get new custom earplugs?

At Audibling, we work with interchangeable membrane filters in four series, namely DR, DM, DI and DIM. Does your custom earplug still fit well, but is the filter dirty or do you want a different level of protection? Then a new filter is often enough. You can order it as an extra filter set with two filters. Read more about the filters in filters in custom earplugs explained and on our filter page.

If the custom earplug itself no longer seals properly, you need a new one. This is how that works.

As an individual, you have a new impression taken at a partner hearing centre via Find a hearing centre, and you design your new earplugs online.
For companies with 10 or more employees, we take the ear impressions on site. Smaller teams go to a partner hearing centre. We also offer a replacement service. See Audibling Business.

Every custom earplug is made to measure in our own lab in the Netherlands, Audiform in Kilder, and is ready about three weeks after the ear impressions are taken. You can see what a new set costs on custom earplug prices. You will find all versions in the collection custom earplugs.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I have a fit check done?

The occupational health and safety catalogues advise testing periodically, preferably every year. If you use your custom earplugs intensively at work, an annual fit check is a good habit.

Can I replace just the filter?

Yes. Audibling membrane filters are interchangeable. As long as the custom earplug itself still seals properly, you can replace the filter or choose a different one.

Does silicone or acrylic last longer?

That depends mainly on how you use them and care for them. Acrylic is sturdy and easy to clean. Silicone is softer and more comfortable. Ask for advice on what suits your situation best.

My custom earplug no longer fits well. Can it be adjusted?

A new impression is usually the best solution, because the fit is the basis of the protection. Contact us or book an appointment at a hearing centre, and we will look at what is needed.