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 guidelines 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 all of that information at once means you most likely didn’t retain some of it. So you still may be wondering, what should my cleaning routine look like? Or, how frequently should I have my hearing aid serviced? How can I get the most life out of my hearing aids?
These five, simple-to-follow tips can help give you some answers, as well as simple ways to help in maintaining your hearing aids so they function better longer.
Tip #1: Try not to let your hearing aids get wet
Electronics generally don’t like wetness. Hearing aids are somewhat water resistant but are by no means waterproof, so they should be kept as dry as possible. Here are several ways to do just that:
- When you’re wearing your hearing aids, don’t use hair care products. That is, take your hearing aids out before utilizing a lot of hair spray or hair gel. Your hearing aid can really become gunked up from these types of products.
- Keep a dehumidifier running during those more humid months. When it’s extremely 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 you can, get that dehumidifier going!
- Store your hearing aids somewhere cool and dry. Many individuals question what the best way to store hearing aids is. Well, don’t, for example, store them in your bathroom (which gets nice and steamy at least once a day). It also helps to keep them in the same spot every day so you’re not trying to figure out where you put them. By the same token, don’t leave your hearing aids just lying around, dogs love to eat them and cats like to play with them!
Tip #2: Check (and clean) those earwax filters
Earwax production is a normal and healthy thing for the human body to do. Hearing aid designers 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. So make swapping out your wax guard, when necessary, a regular part of your cleaning routine. You can purchase and use specialized cleaning tools for this, depending on what model you have (ask us for recommendations here).
How often should wax guards be swapped? You will swap these wax guards about once every month on the majority of models.
Tip #3: Keep your batteries charged and fresh
Your batteries keep your hearing aids going. Your hearing aid will last much longer if you keep your batteries fresh. The following are a few tips for battery care:
- Make certain all of the battery contacts and components are dry. If they are dirty or wet, you can make use of a clean, dry cloth to wipe them. This is yet another part of your device where moisture is the enemy.
- When you’re not using your hearing aids, remember to turn them off. Or else, your battery will just sit there and drain. And that means your hearing aids might quit working when you least want them to.
- Get a battery charger or a rechargeable device: This will save you a lot of money on wasted batteries.
Tip #4: Only use clean hands to handle your hearing aids
The majority of the time, your hearing aids should be in your ears. But they don’t get there by themselves. Your hands (which are required in order to handle your hearing aids) could be covered in all sorts of offending substances. Your hearing aids are delicate devices by design, so crumbs aren’t really great for them.
In general, you should only handle 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 is not the case. Here are some very good reasons why scheduling regular appointments with us is still important.:
- Check the status of your hearing loss (making certain it’s not advancing faster than expected).
- Cleaning and maintenance.
- To help you ensure your devices fit well.
What should you do when something breaks?
Occasionally, in spite of your best efforts, something goes wrong with your hearing aids (maybe you accidentally step on them). You should contact us as soon as you can in cases like this.
If your device needs any repairs, or you need a new one, we can help with that.
Want to speak with us about your next set of hearing aids? Make an appointment today!
