Almost every patient has a question about how to clean hearing aids at one point or another, even though we go through the maintenance side of things during the trial period with their new hearing aids.
But there is so much new information, it is hard for people to remember everything, and some things don’t really make sense until they happen.
Hearing aid maintenance ensures that your investment in your hearing is protected, and it can help extend the life of your devices past the 3 to 5 years of warranty, so I’ve put together some tips to help you with this aspect of your hearing care.
The Problem With Not Maintaining Hearing Aids
The main problem that comes up when hearing aids are not maintained is failure to operate. Earwax is the enemy of hearing aids, and it can get into the aid, causing a decline in the sound or stopping the sound altogether.
Keeping up with regular maintenance ensures that the hearing aid is working properly and extends the life of the device.
Your Hearing Aids Need Attention When…
You notice any of the following:
- Reduction in sound
- Feedback or whistling
- No sound or poor-quality sound
- The hearing aid looks dirty or damaged
How To Care For Your Hearing Aids
No matter what type of hearing aid you wear, on the most basic level, microphones need to be brushed and filters need to be changed. Ideally, mics should be brushed every few days, and filters and domes need to be changed at least quarterly.
Tools Needed
- Soft cloth, cleaning brush like a soft toothbrush, filters, domes, wax pick, dehumidifier.
- Avoid using any harsh chemicals or water on your hearing devices, as they can damage the technology inside.
Process
- Every day, wipe and brush your hearing devices gently to remove any dirt, debris, or earwax. This keeps the hearing ports clear.
- Every night, leave the battery door open to avoid moisture buildup, or use the dehumidifying device recommended by your hearing specialist.
- Check monthly for full wax filters, guards, or domes, and replace as necessary.
Also use your manufacturer’s hearing aid app to do a monthly diagnostic test on the speaker, microphone, and circuit, if they provide one.
- At all times, avoid moisture, condensation, and extreme temperatures. High heat, UV rays, and extreme cold can damage the mechanisms.
- Anytime you are not wearing your hearing aids, store them in a dry, cool place and turn them off so as not to waste the battery power, or charge them in your charging station.
- Every quarter, have your hearing service do a maintenance clean and check. We offer our patients a maintenance program so that we can professionally clean, inspect, and maintain the devices.
If Your Hearing Aids Aren’t Working Properly
If you’ve done all of the above and your hearing aids are still not working, bring them in so that we can take a look. We have all the right tools, lots of replacement parts, and a more powerful vacuum that can remove more debris. We’ll know quite quickly if we can fix it onsite.
Bigger Hearing Aid Repairs
If your hearing device needs a repair only the manufacturer can do, we’ll send it via FedEx or UPS. The cost of repairs depends on if your device is still in warranty or not, and we can give you an estimate over the phone.
And no need to worry about not having hearing aids in the interim – we have a loaner service and can lend you a pair of hearing aids similar to yours while you wait.
If all is well with the devices, then the problem could be that your hearing has changed, and we can help with that too by updating your hearing test and matching the results to your hearing aids’ programming.
Having a properly working and adjusted hearing aid is key to hearing the best way possible. If there’s anything you need to keep them working as they should, please email or call. We’re here to help.
