To help keep your hearing aids working effectively for years to come, you’ll need to learn proper care and maintenance. And though it may feel like an extra burden, with the right plan your hearing aid care will come to be simple and automatic.
The key is establishing effective habits.
If you assimilate your hearing aid care into your daily and nightly routines, before long it won’t feel like any additional work at all.
Here are a few tips for the day-to-day care of your hearing aids (which your hearing professional will also go over with you):
Clean your hearing aids daily – Aim to incorporate your hearing aid cleansing into your evening routine, so it will become as automatic as brushing your teeth. Daily cleaning is vital because daily hearing aid cleaning can protect against the collection of earwax, dirt, and dust into the different components of the hearing aid, which can lead to distorted sound over time.
You’ll want to clean your hearing aid with a soft, dry cloth, while averting any kind of fluids that could destroy the hearing aid electronics. Consult with your hearing specialist for specialized directions on cleaning each kind of hearing aid.
You might also consider buying a hearing aid sanitizer, which utilizes ultraviolet light to safely and thoroughly kill hazardous pathogens. Hearing aid cleaning kits are also obtainable with all of the instruments you’ll need to safely clean the device without causing harm to the electronics.
Always check the batteries – Hearing aid batteries should be tested and replaced frequently to ensure peak hearing aid functionality. Consider using a battery tester each morning to assure you have a sufficient amount of power for the remainder of the day, and keep a spare set of batteries with you.
Before bedtime, when your hearing aids are not in use, shut them off and store them in a cool, dry spot with the battery door open.
Store your hearing aids in a safe and secure place – With respect to storage, you’ll want to remember three things:
- Keep the hearing aids away from moisture. This means that storing your hearing aids in the bathroom is probably a bad idea.
- Avoid exposing the hearing aids—and hearing aid batteries—to temperature extremes. 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 inside the drawer of a bedroom side-table. This will safeguard the hearing aids from moisture, temperature extremes, and damage from being bumped off the table.
Also, remember to remove your hearing aids before taking a shower, swimming, or using a hair dryer or hair spray.
Maintain ear hygiene – Even though earwax has several favorable qualities, like protection and lubrication of the ear canal, it can wreak havoc on hearing aids. As it gets wedged within the hearing aid components, sound can become distorted.
Ensure that you’re sustaining proper ear hygiene, and if you experience increased earwax, consider booking a consultation with a professional.
Properly insert your hearing aids – When inserting your hearing aids, lean over a table or soft surface in the event that the hearing aids fall. Hearing aids consist of vulnerable electronics, so a fall on a hard surface could result in significant damage.
Even with vigilant cleaning and maintenance, over time the hearing aid will require more detailed cleaning or repair.
To assure that you consistently get the best sound possible, we advise having your hearing aids professionally cleaned by a hearing professional at the least twice a year.
Hearing care professionals can provide a deep cleaning, a tune-up, and will sometimes replace parts. Staying on top of this periodic maintenance will prolong the life of your hearing aids and will assure that you get the best sound.