It most likely seems like a simple thing to take care of your hearing aids. After all, you were probably given a set of care instructions when you initially bought your devices. In regard to routine hearing aid maintenance, most hearing specialists will give you a step-by-step instruction tutorial. Still, getting that much information at once means you probably didn’t remember some of it. So you still may be wondering, what should my cleaning routine look like? Or, how frequently should I get my hearing aid serviced? How can I get the most life out of my hearing aids?
These five, simple-to-follow tips can help provide some answers, as well as simple ways to help in maintaining your hearing aids so they work better longer.
Tip #1: Try not to let your hearing aids get wet
Moisture and electronics don’t really jive. Hearing aids are somewhat water resistant but aren’t at all waterproof, so they need to be kept as dry as possible. Beyond the obvious, this means you need to do things like the following:
- Keep a dehumidifier going during those more humid months. When it’s really humid, your hearing aids can have more moisture than you would want even inside. And that dampness can compromise the sensitive electronics inside. If you want to get the most longevity out of your hearing aid as you can, get that dehumidifier going!
- Keep your hearing aids somewhere dry and cool. Knowing the best way to store your hearing aids can be somewhat of a challenge for many individuals. Well, don’t, for example, store them in your bathroom (which gets really steamy at least once a day). And in order to keep track of your hearing aids, keep them in the same spot every day. In the same way, don’t leave your hearing aids just lying around, dogs love to eat them and cats love to play with them!
- Stay away from using hair products while your hearing aids are in. That is, take your hearing aids out before using a lot of hair spray or hair gel. Your hearing aid can really get gunked up from these types of products.
Tip #2: Keep the earwax filters nice and clean
Earwax production is a healthy and normal thing for the human body to do. Hearing aid makers are well aware of this. Most contemporary hearing aids incorporate features that are created to cope with a modest earwax production.
Your job is to be certain your hearing aids don’t become overloaded with ear wax. So make changing out your wax guard, when needed, a regular element of your cleaning routine. You can buy and use specialized cleaning tools for this, depending on what model you have (ask us for guidance here).
What is the replacement schedule for earwax guards? Well, for most models, it will be about once a month or so.
Tip #3: care for the batteries
Your batteries keep your hearing aids going. The healthier your hearing aid batteries are, the longer your hearing aid will last. The following are some tips for battery care:
- When you’re not using your hearing aids, don’t forget to switch the power off. This just drains the battery for, well, no good reason. And that means your hearing aids might stop working when you really need them.
- Get a battery charger or a rechargeable device: This will save you lots of money on wasted batteries.
- Keep all of the contact points on the battery dry and clean. You can wipe them with a clean cloth if they aren’t. As with electronics in general, moisture will lead to a bad outcome here.
Tip #4: Clean your hands before handling your hearing aids
Your hearing aids are going to be in your ears most of the time. But they don’t get there on their own. Your hands (which you need to handle your hearing aids) could be covered in all sorts of offending substances. Your hearing aids are sensitive devices by design, so crumbs aren’t really very good for them.
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 cleanse.
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 normally correct. Here are a number of very good reasons why scheduling routine appointments with us is still important.:
- To help you ensure your devices fit well.
- To clean and maintain your hearing aids.
- Check the status of your hearing loss (making certain it’s not advancing faster than expected).
What should you do when something breaks?
Sometimes, something could go wrong (maybe you accidentally step on them) despite your best effort. You should get in touch with us as soon as possible in situations like this.
If your device needs 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? Set up an appointment today!
