FREE Ear Savers for Essential Workers | Wear Face Masks Comfortably
Face masks are an essential form of protection for workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, but wearing them all day long can leave essential workers with sore ears from the elastic.
Glowforge, a 3D laser-printing company, has a solution for that with Ear Savers!
The Ear Saver is a simple piece of acrylic that makes mask sizing more flexible and remove pressure and friction from the ears, making any mask more comfortable to wear.
The Glowforge factory, along with thousands of Glowforge users at home, are now printing these Ear Savers so that frontline workers can get them for free! Anyone wearing a mask in their role as an essential worker can request a free Ear Saver. This includes nurses, retail workers, delivery workers, doctors, sanitation workers, etc.
When you sign up, you’ll be matched with someone in your community who can fulfill your request. You can choose to have your Ear Savers dropped off or shipped to you for free, but if you have an urgent need and you’re willing to pay for shipping, you may be able to get your Ear Savers delivered to you faster.
If you own a 3D Laser Printer, you can help!
Glowforge has free files and instructions for printing your own Ear Savers at home and your printer does not need to be a Glowforge to participate. When you sign up, you’ll be matched with front line heroes in your community to make delivery easy and enable your prints to help people right away. Head on over here to learn more about how you can help!
These companies are supporting frontline workers with freebies and other perks!
My husband works in manufacturing (essential workers) and they’ve all had sore ears for weeks. Unsurprising considering you can literally tug on someone’s ears forward to stop an assailant; it HURTS. Thank you for posting this, I’ve forwarded it to him so he can relay it to his boss and they can all get some pain-free work hours.
You’re SO very welcome! Glad you can pass it along!
Thank you! I am laboratory scientist & I have to wear mask all day. I tighten it (I’m an asian with no nose 😂) with a paper clip. I ordered for my coworkers, too. Thank you sou much!
You’re most welcome! 💕
Thank you! The pain is no joke. Even after just one day of continuous mask wearing my ears were extremely tender. We have been trying a combination of different ideas at my hospital and would love to give these a try.
You’re welcome, Ashley! Hoping these bring you some relief!
You can also use a rubber band and two paper clips! Hook the paper clips to the straps that go around your ears and then connect them with the rubber band around the back of your head. My husband has been wearing masks to work for the last couple weeks and that’s what he does to save his ears!
Thanks for the helpful tip, Lonie! Good to know!
Thanks.. I am not a health care worker so.. I will use this method.. Thanks
Thanks, wife is a nurse and is wearing a mask 8-12 hours a day. I wore one for just 30 mins and my ears were killing me.
You’re welcome, IB!
I seen online people using a monkey from the barrel of monkeys, so cute!!
Thanks for the suggestion, Lynne!
Thanks! This is great!
You’re welcome!
I make these with my cricut and give them out. Something that cost me literally 10$ for 50 has made a huge difference to people for pennies!!:)
Can you share your file or at least what material you’re using? I was trying to find info yesterday for making them on the Cricut and didn’t find much — and I was afraid that using such thin acrylic that the Cricut could handle (.020) would lead to cracking or wouldn’t be sturdy enough to hold the elastic. Any help would be much appreciated!
Google minorDIY they have the free downloads. I used Walmart plastic binders, used my cricut air 2. Pressure more, brick setting 😉 fine point blade that cost 8$ at Walmart . Hope this helps! I also heard you can use dollar tree placemats
Thanks, this is great!
Thank you!!
I bought the dollar tree cutting boards (2pk) and was able to make 50 for $1. The lady that gave me the svg said we were able to share as long as we were not making any profit off of these.
That is a genius idea, Paula! What a great way to give back!
The 50 cent plastic notebooks from Walmart do work and are easy to cut. Dollar Tree flexible cutting boards are impossible to cut, not worth the trouble, but the Dollar Tree non foam place mats are perfect for cutting and a little more durable than the notebooks. I got 10 notebooks for $5 and made about 250 ear savers. She just came out with an updated version but my daughter the nurse said either of them worked just as well.
I must not have sensitive ears. The thing I hate about the mask are I feel like I can’t breath as well.
My best friend is an ER doctor in a hot spot. As a friend, you feel so helpless. Because you know things are very very VERY bad, and there’s almost nothing you can do to make them feel better. I was able to send her this, in hopes that they can score a few. It’s wonderful that these people are doing this for first line workers.
Thank you! My ears are on fire!
You’re most welcome! Glad this will help!
My daughter-in-law is knitting them for $2 each. Nice and easy on the hair too. She’s trying to donate where she can but isn’t working so the money helps her replenish supplies. Stay safe and healthy everyone.
I just placed an order for the staff here at our Institution. The masks that was made for us were either too loose that it falls off our noses or so tight that it literally pulls our ears off. Hopefully we’re the lucky few that gets this amazing product.
I don’t have a 3d printer, how can I get these for my cashier’s?
Hi there! Be sure to sign up through the link above! Hope this helps!
No one ever contacted me…
Hoping you hear something soon!
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to get them our ears just so bad.
I work for a company with a large number of essential employees making medicine that treats life-threatening conditions and we are wearing masks every day for up to 13 hours. While we appreciate the masks doing their part, the discomfort is definitely a problem and I would love to coordinate getting some more information about Ear Savers to see if they can help us out!
I just received the quantity that you sent me and gave them out. Most nurses states it is too small, too tight. Not long enough to keep off of ears. the are about two inches short for. Wish they were longer. The concept is great. Thank you though it will help for some.
I am a 911 dispatcher and we are required to wear masks. My ears are so sore and head bands aggravate my migraines. You ear savers would be amazing for me and my coworkers.
You can also get the game “Barrel of Monkeys” and use this behind your head and attach to the monkey arms. Walmart sells game in toys—10 monkeys for $4.97!! Super cute also!