To help keep your hearing aids working properly for years to come, you’ll want to learn proper care and maintenance. And although it may seem like an additional burden, with the right plan your hearing aid care will come to be effortless and automatic.
The secret is creating productive habits.
If you integrate your hearing aid care into your everyday and nightly routines, pretty soon it won’t seem like any additional work at all.
The following are a few tips for the day-to-day care of your hearing aids (which your hearing specialist will also go over with you):
Clean your hearing aids daily – Try to incorporate your hearing aid cleaning into your evening routine, so it becomes as automatic as brushing your teeth. Daily cleaning is crucial because daily hearing aid cleaning can protect against the build-up of earwax, dirt, and dust into the different components of the hearing aid, which can result in distorted sound over time.
You’ll want to clean your hearing aid with a smooth, dry cloth, while avoiding any fluids that could destroy the hearing aid electronics. Talk with your hearing professional for special instructions on cleaning each style of hearing aid.
You may also consider purchasing a hearing aid sanitizer, which applies ultraviolet light to safely and completely kill hazardous pathogens. Hearing aid cleaning kits are also available with all of the tools you’ll need to safely clean the device without causing damage to the electronics.
Always check the batteries – Hearing aid batteries should always be checked and replaced regularly to assure top hearing aid performance. Consider using a battery tester early in the day to assure you have sufficient power for the remainder of the day, and keep a spare set of batteries with you.
Before bedtime, when your hearing aids are not being used, shut them off and store them in a cool, dry location with the battery door open.
Store your hearing aids in a safe place – In regard to storage, you’ll want to remember three things:
- Keep the hearing aids away from moisture. In other words, storing your hearing aids in the bathroom is probably a bad idea.
- Try to avoid exposing the hearing aids—and hearing aid batteries—to extremes in temperature. You’ll want to store your hearing aids in a cool, dry place.
- Avoid storing your hearing aids out in the open, where they can become damaged.
We suggest storing your hearing aids in a container or drying kit within the drawer of a bedroom side table. This will defend the hearing aids from dampness, temperature extremes, and damage from being bumped off the table.
Also, always remove your hearing aids before showering, swimming, or using a hair dryer or hair spray.
Maintain ear hygiene – While earwax has several beneficial qualities, including protection and lubrication of the ear canal, it can cause severe damage to your hearing aids. As it gets wedged within the hearing aid hardware, sound can become distorted.
Make sure you’re keeping up appropriate ear hygiene, and if you experience excessive earwax, consider scheduling a consultation with a professional.
Carefully insert your hearing aids – While inserting your hearing aids, lean over a table or soft surface in the event that the hearing aids fall. Hearing aids come with delicate electronics, so a fall on a hard surface can bring about significant damage.
Even with careful cleaning and maintenance, over time the hearing aid will require more thorough cleaning or repair.
To assure that you consistently enjoy the best sound possible, we encourage having your hearing aids professionally cleaned by a hearing professional at the least twice per year.
Hearing care professionals can render a deep cleaning, a tune-up, and will on occasion replace parts. Staying on top of this routine maintenance will expand the life of your hearing aids and will assure that you get the optimal sound.