Taking care of your hearing aids probably feels simple enough. After all, you were most likely given a set of care guidelines when you originally purchased your devices. In regard to regular hearing aid maintenance, most hearing specialists will give you a step-by-step instruction tutorial. But it’s quite likely that you may forget some of that information that you got all at once. So you still may be wondering, what should my cleaning routine look like? How about my service schedule? How can I make my hearing aids last as long as I can?
If you want to keep your hearing aids in tip-top working order, look at the following tips.
Tip #1: Keep your hearing aids dry
Moisture and electronics don’t really get along that well. Hearing aids are slightly water resistant but are by no means waterproof, so they need to be kept as dry as possible. Here are several ways to do just that:
- Avoid using hair products while your hearing aids are in. When you’re going to utilize hair spray or gel, take out your hearing aids. These kinds of products can really gunk up your devices.
- Find a dry and cool spot to keep your hearing aids when you’re not using them. Many people question what the best way to store hearing aids is. So the steamy bathroom won’t be a great place to keep your hearing aids. And in order to keep track of your hearing aids, store them in the same place every day. Also, cats like to play with hearing aids and dogs will sometimes try to eat them, so don’t just leave them lying around.
- When it’s humid outdoors, run a dehumidifier. When it’s really humid, your hearing aids can have more dampness than you would want even indoors. And that dampness can compromise the delicate electronics inside. If you want to get the most longevity out of your hearing aid as possible, get that dehumidifier running!
Tip #2: Keep the earwax filters nice and clean
Earwax production is a normal and healthy thing for the human body to do. Hearing aid manufacturers are well aware of this. Consequently, most hearing aids are designed to deal with a moderate amount of earwax.
It’s up to you to be sure there’s not too much earwax on your hearing aids. This means examining and swapping the wax guards when necessary (and making that an element of your hearing aid cleaning schedule). You can purchase and utilize special cleaning tools for this, depending on your hearing aid model (ask us for recommendations here).
What is the replacement schedule for earwax guards? Well, for most models, it will be around once a month or so.
Tip #3: Take care of the batteries
Your batteries keep your hearing aids working. The better your hearing aid batteries are, the longer your device will last. The following are some tips for battery care:
- Be sure all of the battery contacts and components are dry. You can wipe them down with a clean cloth if they aren’t. This is yet another place in your device where moisture is the enemy.
- Get a battery charger or a rechargeable hearing aid: This will save you a lot of money on wasted batteries.
- Remember to shut off your devices when you aren’t wearing them. Otherwise, your battery will just sit there and drain. Consequently, when you need your hearing aids the most, they may not be charged enough to work.
Tip #4: Only use clean hands to handle your devices
The majority of the time, you should be wearing your hearing aids. But they depend on you to put them in. You use your fingers to put in your hearing aids, and those hands could contain all types of things (salt, maple syrup, Cheeto dust, and so on). Your hearing aids are delicate devices by design, so crumbs aren’t really great for them.
It’s essential that you don’t touch your hearing aids with dirty hands. So give your hands a quick wash before you need to take them out and handle them.
Tip #5 Keep up with your hearing specialist
It may seem like, once you purchase your hearing aids, you can leave your hearing specialist in the dust. But… this isn’t usually correct. Most individuals who have hearing loss will want to schedule routine appointments with us for the following reasons:
- To clean and maintain your hearing aids.
- To help you calibrate your fit.
- Check the status of your hearing loss (making certain it’s not advancing faster than expected).
What should you do when something breaks?
Occasionally, in spite of your best efforts, something goes wrong with your hearing aids (perhaps you accidentally step on them). You should call us as soon as possible in cases such as this.
We will be able to help you repair your devices, or get a new set if needed.
Make an appointment with us today to talk about your current or next pair of hearing aids.