Keeping a clean microphone is important for the health and safety of your pastor and worship team members. The recommended mic placement for handheld vocal microphones means that the microphone is very close to or even touches the singer’s face or lips. This means that spit/mucus/etc. can easily be transferred from the mouth to the microphone grill and underlying foam filter.
The body of the microphone is another surface that can be contaminated by contact with the hands. If you don’t have a dedicated microphone for each vocalist or pastor on your team, then you should consider cleaning and disinfecting your worship team microphones.
Here are seven simple steps to clean your church microphones:
#1: Most handheld microphones have a removable metal grill. Unscrew the grill from the microphone.
#2: Remove the foam insert that is inside the grill.
#3: Spray or dip the entire metal grill in a solution of 70% isopropyl alcohol. Use a brush to clean any grit, lipstick, etc. from the grill.
#4: Wash the foam insert with soap and hot water.
#5: Wipe down the body of the microphone with a disinfecting wipe or a solution of alcohol on a cloth rag.
#6: Dry the washed components. Use a hair dryer on low heat or allow to air dry.
#7: Reassemble the components.
Watch out for these things:
- DO NOT use bleach to wipe down or submerge any hardware. This can damage metal and other finishes. A 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) mixture or soap and hot water is preferred.
- DO NOT spray liquid on or near the microphone capsule or electronics.
Mouthwash (like Listerine and others) does not have sufficient alcohol content to kill viruses. While it can leave your mics smelling minty fresh, it should not be relied on as a disinfectant.
And while you're cleaning microphones, it might not be a bad idea to wipe down all those faders and knobs on the mixing console. A soft bristle toothbrush can work great for gently scrubbing mic grills and faders pads.
Download this step-by-step chart and keep it in your tech room for easy reference next time you need to clean your microphones. (Courtesy of Great Church Sound)
