To help keep your hearing aids functioning effectively for years to come, you need to learn proper care and maintenance. And while it may feel like an extra burden, with the right plan your hearing aid care will become simple and automatic.
The key is developing productive habits.
If you include your hearing aid care into your daily and nightly routines, before long it won’t feel like any extra work at all.
The following 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 on a daily basis – Aim to include your hearing aid cleansing into your nightly routine, so it becomes as automatic as brushing your teeth. This is important because daily hearing aid cleaning can protect against the collection of earwax, dirt, and dust into the various parts of the hearing aid, which can lead to distorted sound with time.
You’ll want to clean your hearing aid with a smooth, dry cloth, while avoiding any kind of liquids that can destroy the hearing aid electronics. Check with your hearing professional for specific directions on cleaning each type of hearing aid.
You might also prefer to consider buying a hearing aid sanitizer, which utilizes ultraviolet light to safely and thoroughly kill hazardous pathogens. Hearing aid cleaning kits are also available with all of the instruments you’ll need to safely clean the device without damaging the electronics.
Always check the batteries – Hearing aid batteries should always be checked and replaced regularly to ensure peak hearing aid performance. Consider using a battery tester early in the day to assure you have a sufficient amount of power for the rest of the day, and keep a spare set of batteries with you.
Before bedtime, when your hearing aids are not in use, turn them off and store them in a cool, dry spot with the battery door open.
Store your hearing aids in a safe place – With respect 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 subjecting 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 highly recommend storing your hearing aids in a container or drying kit inside the drawer of a bedroom side table. This will protect the hearing aids from moisture, temperature extremes, and damage from being pushed off the table.
Also, don’t forget to take out your hearing aids prior to showering, swimming, or using a hair dryer or hair spray.
Maintain ear hygiene – While earwax has many advantageous characteristics, such as protection and lubrication of the ear canal, it can wreak havoc on hearing aids. As it becomes wedged within the hearing aid components, sound can become distorted.
Make sure you’re sustaining proper ear hygiene, and if you experience excessive earwax, consider scheduling a consultation with a professional.
Carefully put in your hearing aids – When putting in your hearing aids, lean over a table or soft surface in the event the hearing aids fall. Hearing aids are made with delicate electronics, so a fall on a hard surface could cause significant damage.
Even with careful cleaning and maintenance, after a while the hearing aid will call for more comprehensive cleaning or repair.
To ensure that you continue to get the best sound possible, we suggest getting your hearing aids professionally cleaned by a hearing specialist a minimum of twice a year.
Hearing care professionals can provide you with a deep cleaning, a tune-up, and will sometimes replace parts. Staying current on this regular maintenance will extend the life of your hearing aids and will assure that you achieve the best sound.