Ear plugs that are regularly used should be washed whenever visibly dirty or every few days. Infrequently used plugs should be washed after using every time to prevent bacteria from breeding in the plugs while stored in their case. Using harsh cleaners or non-mild soaps could shorten the shelf life of your ear plugs or make them less effective. This cleaning technique can also be used for banded ear plugs. However, both banded and multi-use single-ear plugs should be replaced after 2 to 4 weeks for best performance.
You may need to remove the plugs from the water to get a better look. Swish the plugs in the solution to remove broken up dirt. [4] X Research source
Ear plugs that are used often should be disinfected weekly or after any kind of activity that caused you to sweat. Plugs that are used rarely should be disinfected after every few uses or after activity that caused heavy sweating.
Clean your swimming earplugs when visibly dirty on an as-needed basis. For the cleanest plugs, you may want to clean them weekly or every other week.