How to Make a Pop Filter with a Sock


There are many ways to save money in your home audio studio, and certain questions always come up when discussing budget-friendly options. Making your own DIY pop filter is one of those questions. Some people have even suggested that you could actually use an old sock to get the job done. Does a sock work as a pop filter?

A sock can be used as a budget-friendly pop filter and is capable of controlling air pressure and achieving similar performance to a typical nylon double-mesh pop filter.

I tried to save every penny I could when starting my home studio, and making a DIY microphone pop filter is one of the ideas that appealed to me. It should be simple enough to control the air pressure that hits your condenser microphone.

It sounds overboard, but I took some time to research this sock idea, and here’s what I found.

Now I’m going to show you two ways to make your own sock microphone pop filter to help eliminate those popping sounds in your recording studio. This will allow you to speak louder without the risk of wind noise getting into your mic.

I’ve also included a bonus, a third way to make a pop filter using pantyhose, and included a video as well. This method produces a pop filter that looks more like the familiar red pop filter you’ve probably seen before.

Here we go.

Table of Contents

How to Make a DIY Pop Filter With a Sock

Buying a pop filter seems like a waste of money for most people, as commercial pop filters can be expensive. We agree! You can easily eliminate background noises and popping sounds by making a pop filters for yourself out of a sock—Yup, something that we all have tucked up in a drawer somewhere.

Ready to break out those old socks and start creating your own homemade pop filters?

A Step-by-Step Guide to DIY Pop Filters

There are two approaches to making a pop filter with a sock. The first way is quick and easy, and can get you up and running in a few minutes with your very own DIY pop filters. The second method is a little more involved, but looks much better in your studio and more closely resembles professional pop filters.

1. The Super Easy Way

Parts You Will Need for this pop filter:

  • 5 x nylon socks (new or washed)
  • A standalone microphone

How to make the pop filter:

  1. Grab 1 sock.
  2. Pull it down over the microphone.
  3. Continue until all 5 socks are on the microphone.
  4. Test it out and you’re good to go!
  5. Now you have a pop filter!

While this method is effective and far more straightforward than making “proper” pop filters, it may muffle your voice. If you rely on pure sound quality for your videos and/or recordings, this isn’t that helpful (especially for singers). In this case, you’re going to want to use your socks differently.

2. A Better Way to make your own pop filter

Parts You Will Need for this pop filter:

  • 1 x pair of knee-high socks
  • 1 x piece of 30 cm x 30 cm MDF
  • 1 x hose clamp
  • 1 x wire coat hanger
  • 1 x cable casing (i.e. the plastic exterior of a cable)
  • Pliers
  • Electrical tape
  • Pen or pencil
  • Compass
  • MDF glue

How to make the pop filter:

  1. Draw a circle onto the MDF board with the pen or pencil and the compass. The diameter of this first one should be roughly 6 inches. Don’t worry if it’s a little bigger, it will still work.
  2. Draw another circle inside it. This one should be around 5.5 inches.
  3. Cut out the smaller circle. frame. You need to cut the entire piece out and then work on hollowing out the concentric circle. The resulting ring will act as your frame for your makeshift pop filter.
  4. Paint it black (or whatever color you prefer). You can skip this stage, it just makes the final product look better.
  5. Snip and straighten the wire coat hanger so it is one long piece of wire.
  6. Thread it through the plastic cover (cable casing) to make the gooseneck. Ensure it’s secure. (The gooseneck is the bendy arm to which your pop filter attaches so that you can quickly adjust the position of the filter in front of your mic.)
  7. Cut a slit just big enough for the gooseneck on the pop filter frame (i.e. the cut-out MDF piece).
  8. Thread the gooseneck through the slit.
  9. Secure it with electrical tape to ensure a flush finish. You should also glue the gooseneck together to strengthen it further.
  10. Since you will be moving the neck of the pop filter around a lot, you need to ensure this is as strong as possible. To do this, you should make a question mark type bend in the wire to keep it sturdy.
  11. All you have to do now is pop the socks over the top! Either use a freshly washed pair or go out to your local store and buy some. They are incredibly cheap.
  12. Now you have a pop filter!

3. Bonus: The Best Way to Make a Pop Filter from Panty Hose (with VIDEO)

I thought I’d throw in a bonus third option for you. The embroidery hoop filter. This one doesn’t use a sock, but rather women’s pantyhose to make your pop filter.

Parts You Will Need for this pop filter:

  • 1 x embroidery hoop (these things)
  • 1 x hose clamp
  • 1 x wire hanger
  • 1 x pantyhose (used, but clean)
  • 2 x zip ties
  • Wirecutter
  • Electrical tape

How to make the pop filter:

  1. Take apart the embroidery hoop.
  2. Cut an 8-inch square from the pantyhose.
  3. Put your pantyhose square over the embroidery hoop.
  4. Stretch it tight and then lock the hoop closed.
  5. Attach the flexible wire to the embroidery hoop.
  6. Cut off the excess pantyhose so that it looks better.
  7. Put electrical tape on the wire to cover it.
  8. Attach zip ties to the connection so that it is stronger but still flexible.
  9. Attach it to the mic using the hose clamp.
  10. Now you have a pop filter!

Video Instruction:

Conclusion on making your own DIY pop filter

That’s all there is to it! If you’re not a fan of DIY, this pop filter might not be the solution for you. But it’s worth a try if you feel like conquering the pop filter challenge. And if you need a microphone specifically for a female voice, please read this first.

If you’d rather just throw some money at the problem, and buy a pop filter off the shelf, there are many great options. Check prices on Amazon before you buy.

Check out the article I wrote outlining the most common types of pop filters, and when you’d use them. And if it’s getting too hot in your studio, learn how to cool a vocal booth in 5 different ways.

I hope this information helped. Until next time, I’ll be on the mic.

Juan Louder
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Juan Louder

I started SoundStudioMagic to learn how to record my own audiobook at home, and now I'm addicted to all the latest techniques and gear.

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