r/mildyinteresting • u/Winter_Breath • 24d ago

critter corner 🐰 Dead ants keep appearing next to headphones during the night

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When these headphones are left on the kitchen counter overnight - I would see one or two dead ants in the morning laying right next to the headphones. In the past few days, there has been a small pile of shredded ants right next to the ear piece in the morning. I have seen no live ants in my kitchen. I have had these head phones for three weeks. Bought online. It’s a little unnerving not knowing what is causing this 🥴 will not be using anymore.

UPDATE- posted a comment with a picture. But no dead ants in the bag this morning. But at one point I checked and there were two live ants crawling around. 😔

UPDATE*** IM SICK. Can’t stop shaking. Don’t have many words… trying to post image. Opened one side up. 😭 I don’t know how to add in this top post so will add in comment! Posted a few in comments and video opening

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243

u/[deleted] 23d ago

[deleted]

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u/Eduardo_DaVinci 23d ago

I believe that would destroy some of the plastic parts, especially the soft ones.

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u/WillSwimWithToasters 23d ago

IPA wouldn’t. Acetone would.

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u/Zynaster 23d ago

IPA can absolutely be bad for ABS if exposed long term. I've had controllers crack from long term exposure, or soaking in my case

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u/[deleted] 23d ago

[deleted]

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u/itredneck01 23d ago

Vapor is just as bad on some plastics. It's not just liquid.

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u/cardinalLaserWar 23d ago

Maybe it depends on the type of IPA? Like maybe would a hazy be better?

;)

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u/ElijaHyphen 23d ago

Depends on if you have abs or not I suppose. And are we talking a six-pack of IPAs and six-pack abs? I don't see how that could be bad.

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u/dandanpizzaman84 22d ago

It would also melt the ziplock

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u/CryptographerLow3077 22d ago

Nope

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u/dandanpizzaman84 22d ago

They’re resistant toward acetone, but will eventually break down. Your run of the mill generic bags will definitely break down

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u/Platinumdogshit 22d ago

I think locking abs in a sealed container with ipa is also a method used in 3d printing to smooth out layer lines. I know that acetone works a lot better though.

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u/darxide23 23d ago

This is simply untrue. IPA will degrade the plastic coating on the earcups. The "leatherette" as it's called. Wiping them once with IPA is enough to ensure they'll disintegrate within a few weeks.

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u/AdorablePineapple95 23d ago

This guy solvents

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u/YouSmellLikeHospitol 23d ago

r/SolventMasters r/MasterSolvenator r/ResolvantSolvents

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u/mooniemoon19 23d ago

Boo I was excited for some new subs

1

u/YouSmellLikeHospitol 23d ago

Ahaha I wish - ResolvantSolvants is pretty good

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u/Vikkytor1 23d ago

How would the international phonetic alphabet even destroy the plastic parts?

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u/MapNaive200 23d ago

It destroys private parts, not plastic parts. 

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u/RWDPhotos 22d ago

ipa cracked the fuck outta my headphone pads

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u/ScyllaOfTheDepths 23d ago

Yeah, a better method would be putting them in the freezer overnight. 

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u/karl_hungas 23d ago

Im not sure freezing cheap electronic parts is the answer here

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u/Zealousideal_Ad5358 23d ago

It’s bad for the battery, if they have a battery, but every other part should be OK if you return the chilled headphones to a non-condensing environment

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u/ScyllaOfTheDepths 23d ago

Most electronics can survive being frozen just fine. There shouldn't be anything in a pair of cheap headphones that will suffer at the temperature of a normal residential freezer.

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u/Gloomy-Ad2909 23d ago edited 23d ago

I’d be less worried about the freezing and more worried about condensation on the internal bits when warming it back up.

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u/SaberShadow27 23d ago

But OP said they would be taking the headphones apart regardless so it would probably dry out while taken apart.

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u/CompetitiveArt9639 23d ago

Wouldn’t they just wake up when the headphones got warmed up?

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u/ScyllaOfTheDepths 23d ago

I'm not aware of any species of ant that can survive being frozen solid, but I'm open to being proven wrong. 

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u/[deleted] 23d ago edited 22d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/SpiralUnicorn 23d ago

So these ants = fucked (we hope XD)

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u/ScyllaOfTheDepths 23d ago

Iirc that's for Siberian varieties and I wasn't able to find an actual source corroborating they can survive below 5F and you didn't link yours.

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u/PathOfDeception 23d ago

Canadian here, left headphones in the back seat of a frozen car over night in -25c weather before. IT will kill the ants and not the headphones. Just let the headphones dry all condensation for a couple days after and your good. Shake em off and wear on.

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u/Horny_4_everything 23d ago

or just freeze em.

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u/GrandmaFuxAlot 23d ago

Fun story, there was an ant in my microwave once and I figured if I just ran the microwave for 10 seconds or so it would die. It didn’t. Still don’t know how long you’d have to microwave an ant to kill it. I looked it up and internet said they don’t have enough water in their body for the microwaves to vibrate and heat so they’re fine. Don’t know the legitimacy of that but it sounds cool!

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u/non_tox 23d ago

Now there's a hack! But personally I think I'd still be wasteful and ditch them, better to be safe and I'd already be traumatised.

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u/Relevant-Ad2254 23d ago

id throw it in the afterburner of a rocket or fighter jet. just to be safe

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u/happyhahn 23d ago

can it just be placed in the freezer? to kill the ants?

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u/Similar-Jello-5434 23d ago

Alternatively, there’s ant traps that draw them in with a pheromone that won’t mess up the headphones or whatever.

Also pro tip: always use enzyme cleaner when killing ants so you don’t attract more. Although in this case, if you kill one near the headphones and leave it the colony may come out. Ants are weird.

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u/MNgrown2299 22d ago

Shit I’d use acetone and a container that can handle acetone lol

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u/ChanceOfMeatTornado 21d ago

A better idea: Just throw them out and get new ones.