13 Tips for Hearing Aid Maintenance

Cleaning your hearing aids on a regular basis will help you maintain a reliable sense of hearing. Because hearing aids are such an important investment, it would be a good idea to know how to properly clean and take care of them on your own.

These hearing devices rest within your ear canals, so they are constantly exposed to moisture, earwax, and foreign debris. Routine cleanings that you can do yourself - in addition to regular hearing aid care services from your hearing healthcare professional - will ensure that your hearing aids will be reliable under any circumstances.

4 Tips for General Hearing Aid Care
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1. Stay away from extreme cold or heat - If temperatures reach below freezing levels, and you decide to remove your hearing aids while you’re in that environment, keep them in your home, not in your coat pocket. If you remove your hearing aids to get into a pool on a hot summer day, keep them in your house or in a secured locker at the pool’s locker room.     
2. Have the right tools - A brush and a wax pick are essential instruments for cleaning your hearing aids at home. Earwax can build up in the hole at the end of a hearing aid, where the sound emerges from, resulting in a muffled sound or causing a feedback noise. If the earwax is not cleaned out, after a while it may ruin the receiver. Carefully use the pick and brush to clean off the wax.
3. Create good routines -  Do not wear your hearing aids while taking care of your personal hygiene. Take showers or clean your face without wearing your hearing aids, in case water or soap cause damage. Place your hearing aids back in your ears after putting on hair products.
4. Clean your hearing aid at the end of your day - Before going to bed, clean your hearing aids. This will give the aids many hours to air dry before you need to wear them the next day. Refrain from cleaning with wipes that have alcohol or chemicals, because it can harm how the device functions.   

 
 3 Tips for cleaning ITE (In-The-Ear) model Hearing Aids​

1. It’s important to clean out wax build up from the crevices (including the microphone port) of your hearing device with a soft-bristle toothbrush, or a special brush that you can get from your hearing healthcare provider. Hold the hearing aid with the opening you’re cleaning facing down. This will release any loose fragments.
2. Use a hook or wax pick to clear out anything from the holes that were not removed with the brush.
3. Finish by wiping off the entire device with a clean, dry cloth or tissue. This will stop debris from getting onto the case of the hearing aid.    

3 Tips on how to clean Behind-the-ear (BTE) and Earmold Hearing Aids

1. Check the device for any debris and separate them by using a soft brush or a dry cloth.
2. Take the earmold off of the hook before cleaning it. Some earmolds, particularly ones produced with soft materials, can gradually become discolored and stain after a long period of time. To slow down this dilemma, every day you should wipe the earmolds clean.  You should also soak them in warm, soapy water once a week. Leave the earmolds out to dry overnight so you can use them the next day. Do not wipe or soak them in alcohol or other chemicals. The earmolds might have a slight odor over time, but a stronger odor could mean that you have an ear infection. It would be best to talk to your hearing healthcare provider if you detect this.
3. You can use a hearing aid bulb blower to push water out of the tubing, and then let it dry overnight.

3 Cleaning Tips for all types of Hearing Aids

1. Take out the batteries and leave the battery compartment open, so it can dry overnight.
2. Clear any debris by brushing the battery slot with a cleaning brush tool.
3. It might be a good idea to use a hearing aid dehumidifier, mainly if you reside in a humid environment, spend a lot of time outside, or are prone to sweating. There are two different kinds of dehumidifiers for hearing aids. One of them is a plastic jar that has desiccant, which extracts moisture from them. The other type is known as a Dry & Stone unit, which has ultraviolet light and air that dries and sanitizes the hearing aids.

Cleaning Tools for Hearing Aids

Talk to your hearing healthcare provider and find out which tools are best for your hearing aids.

Here are the most common tools used for cleaning hearing aids:
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• Hearing aid cleaning brush - Useful for all types of hearing aids. These have soft bristles to clean the entire aid, faceplate, or sound port for a hearing aid. There are some brushes with a battery removal tool that is magnetic, so it makes removing batteries less complicated.
• Wax pick and wire loop - These tools were designed to reach the interior of the hearing aid openings in a safe manner to dislodge wax or debris that is difficult to remove.
• The Multi-Tool - These all-purpose tools incorporate the brush and wax loop for a versatile use.

When to get Professional help to Clean Hearing Aids

Hearing aids should be cleaned by a professional health care provider or hearing instrument specialist once every 6 months.

If you need help to get your hearing aids cleaned, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids to set up an appointment!

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