Caring for your hearing aids likely feels simple enough. When you first obtained your hearing aids, you most likely got a set of care guidelines, after all. With regard to regular hearing aid maintenance, most hearing specialists will give you a step-by-step instruction tutorial. Still, getting that much information at once means you most likely didn’t retain some of it. So you might still have questions like, how frequently should I clean my hearing aid? How about my service schedule? How can I get the most life from my hearing aids?
If you want to keep your hearing aids in good working order, check out the following tips.
Tip #1: Try not to allow your hearing aids to get wet
Moisture and electronics don’t really jive. Hearing aids are somewhat water resistant but are by no means waterproof, so they need to be kept as free from moisture as possible. Here are several ways to do just that:
- Keep your hearing aids someplace cool and dry. Knowing the best way to store your hearing aids can be a bit of a challenge for lots of individuals. Well, don’t, for instance, keep them in your bathroom (which gets nice and steamy at least once a day). And in order to keep track of your hearing aids, store them in the same spot every day. By the same token, don’t leave your hearing aids just lying around, dogs like to eat them and cats love to play with them!
- Keep a dehumidifier running during those more humid months. Even inside, high humidity means your hearing aids could be more moist more frequently. And that moisture can compromise the delicate electronics inside. If you want to get the most longevity out of your hearing aid as you can, get that dehumidifier running!
- Don’t use hair products while you’re wearing your hearing aids. When you’re going to utilize hair spray or gel, take out your hearing aids. These types of products can really gunk up your devices.
Tip #2: Check (and clean) those earwax filters
The human body normally produces earwax in a healthy way. It’s also something that hearing aid makers understand is going to occur. As a result, most hearing aids are created to deal with a moderate amount of earwax.
It’s up to you to be sure there isn’t too much earwax on your hearing aids. So make swapping out your wax guard, when necessary, a regular element of your cleaning schedule. You can invest in and use specialized cleaning tools for this, depending on your hearing aid model (ask us for guidance here).
How often should wax guards be replaced? You will swap these wax guards around once every month on most models.
Tip #3: Keep your batteries charged and fresh
Your batteries keep your hearing aids working. Your hearing aid will last much longer if you keep your batteries fresh. So there are several battery-care steps you can take:
- Get a battery charger or a rechargeable device: This will save you lots of money on wasted batteries.
- Remember to turn off your devices when you aren’t using them. This just kills the battery for, well, no good reason. Because of this, when you most need your hearing aids, they may not be charged enough to work.
- Keep all of the contact points on the battery dry and clean. You can wipe them with a clean cloth if they aren’t. This is yet another place in your device where moisture is the enemy.
Tip #4: Wash your hands before handling your hearing aids
Your hearing aids are going to spend most of their time in your ears. But they depend on you to put them in. You use your hands to put in your hearing aids, and those hands could contain all kinds of things (salt, maple syrup, Cheeto dust, and so on). By design, hearing aids are very sensitive and probably won’t do well with things like crumbs.
In general, you should only touch your hearing aids with clean hands. So before you put in or take out your hearing aids, give your hands a quick wash.
Tip #5 Stay in touch with your hearing specialist
It may feel like, once you purchase your hearing aids, you can leave your hearing specialist in the dust. Generally, though, this isn’t the situation. Most people with hearing loss will want to make regular appointments with us for the following reasons:
- To track and monitor the advancement of your hearing loss.
- To help you ensure your devices fit well.
- Cleaning and maintenance.
When something breaks, what should you do?
Occasionally, in spite of your best efforts, something goes wrong with your hearing aids (maybe you accidentally step on them). When this occurs, you should get in touch with us as quickly as you can.
If your hearing aid requires any repairs, or you need to get a new one, we can help with that.
Want to speak with us about your next pair of hearing aids? Make an appointment today!
