Caring for your hearing aids likely seems easy enough. When you first obtained your hearing aids, you probably got a set of care guidelines, after all. With regard to routine hearing aid maintenance, the majority of hearing specialists will give you a step-by-step instruction tutorial. But it’s very likely that you might forget some of that information that you got all at once. So you could still have questions like, how often should I clean my hearing aid? What about my service schedule? How can I get the most life out of my hearing aids?
If you want to keep your hearing aids in good working order, check out the following tips.
Tip #1: Keep your hearing aids dry
Moisture and electronics don’t really get along that well. Hearing aids are somewhat water resistant but are by no means waterproof, so they should be kept as dry as possible. Beyond the obvious, this means you should do things like the following:
- When you have your hearing aids in your ears, avoid using hair care products. When you’re going to use hair spray or gel, remove your hearing aids. These kinds of products can really gunk up your devices.
- Store your hearing aids somewhere dry and cool. Understanding the best way to store your hearing aids can be somewhat of a challenge for lots of individuals. Well, don’t, for instance, store them in your bathroom (which gets really steamy at least once every day). It also helps to store them in the same place every day so you’re not wondering where they went. In the same way, don’t leave your hearing aids just lying about, dogs like to eat them and cats like to play with them!
- 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 the fragile electronics inside of your device will be compromised. If you want to get the most life out of your hearing aid as possible, get that dehumidifier running!
Tip #2: Check (and clean) those earwax filters
The human body naturally generates earwax in a healthy way. Hearing aid manufacturers are well aware of this. The majority of contemporary hearing aids incorporate features that are designed to deal with a moderate earwax production.
It’s up to you to be sure there’s not too much earwax on your hearing aids. So make changing out your wax guard, when needed, a regular element of your cleaning schedule. Depending on what model hearing aid you have, you can invest in specialized little tools for this and we can help you with that.
What is the replacement schedule for earwax guards? You will change these wax guards about once every month on most models.
Tip #3: Keep your batteries charged and fresh
Your Hearing aids depend on your batteries for power. The better your hearing aid batteries are, the longer your hearing aid will last. The following are a few tips for battery care:
- Keep all of the contact points on the battery dry and clean. 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.
- When you’re not wearing your hearing aids, remember to turn them off. Otherwise, your battery will just sit there and drain. Consequently, when you most need your hearing aids, they may not be charged enough to work.
- Get a battery charger or a rechargeable device: That way, you won’t be throwing batteries (and money) away over and over again.
Tip #4: Wash your hands before handling your hearing aids
Most of the time, you should be wearing your hearing aids. But they depend on you to put them in. Your hands (which are required in order to handle your hearing aids) could be covered in all kinds of offending substances. By design, hearing aids are really delicate and probably won’t do well with things like crumbs.
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 cleanse.
Tip #5 Keep up with your hearing specialist
It may seem like, once you have your hearing aids, you can leave your hearing specialist in the dust. Usually, though, this isn’t the situation. Most individuals with hearing loss will want to schedule routine appointments with us for the following reasons:
- Cleaning and maintenance.
- Keep an eye on the status of your hearing loss (making certain it’s not progressing quicker than expected).
- To help make sure your devices fit well.
When something breaks, what should you do?
Occasionally, something could go wrong (maybe you accidentally step on them) despite your best effort. When this occurs, you should get in touch with us as quickly as possible.
We will be able to help you repair your devices, or get a new set if necessary.
Want to speak with us about your next set of hearing aids? Set up an appointment today!