It most likely seems like a simple thing to care for your hearing aids. When you initially obtained your hearing aids, you most likely got a set of care guidelines, after all. With regard to regular hearing aid maintenance, the majority of hearing specialists will give you a step-by-step instruction tutorial. Still, getting all of that information at once means you probably didn’t remember some of it. So you still might be wondering, what should my cleaning routine look like? Or, how often should I get my hearing aid serviced? How can I get the most life from my hearing aids?
If you want to keep your hearing aids in good working order, look at the following tips.
Tip #1: Try not to allow your hearing aids to get wet
Moisture and electronics don’t really jive. While your hearing aids may provide a certain degree of water resistance, you generally want to keep them dry. Here are several ways to do just that:
- When it’s humid outdoors, run a dehumidifier. Even indoors, high humidity means your hearing aids could be more damp more frequently. And the delicate electronics inside of your device can be compromised. Prolonging hearing aid life may mean keeping that dehumidifier going.
- Avoid using hair products while you’re wearing your hearing aids. When you’re going to utilize hair spray or gel, take out your hearing aids. Your hearing aid can really become gunked up from these kinds of products.
- Find a dry and cool spot to store your hearing aids when you aren’t using them. Many individuals wonder what the best way to store hearing aids is. So the steamy bathroom isn’t going to be a great place to store your hearing aids. And in order to keep track of your hearing aids, keep them in the same spot every day. By the same token, don’t leave your hearing aids just lying around, dogs like to eat them and cats like to play with them!
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. Consequently, most hearing aids are created 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 replacing the wax guards when necessary (and making that an element of your hearing aid cleaning schedule). You can buy and use special cleaning tools for this, depending on your hearing aid model (ask us for recommendations here).
What is the replacement schedule for earwax guards? You will swap these wax guards approximately once every month on the majority of 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 device will last. So there are a few battery-care steps you can take:
- Invest in a rechargeable hearing aid or a battery charger: That way, you won’t be chucking batteries (and money) away over and over again.
- Be certain all of the battery contacts and components are dry. You can wipe them down with a clean cloth if they aren’t. As with electronics in general, moisture will result in a bad outcome here.
- When you’re not wearing your hearing aids, remember to switch the power off. This just drains the battery for, well, no good reason. For this reason, when you most need your hearing aids, they may not be charged enough to work.
Tip #4: Only use clean hands to handle your hearing aids
The majority of the time, you should be wearing your hearing aids. But they don’t get there on their own. You use your fingers to put your hearing aids in, and those fingers could contain all kinds of things (salt, maple syrup, Cheeto dust, and so on). Your hearing aids are sensitive devices by design, so crumbs aren’t exactly great for them.
In general, you should only handle your hearing aids with clean hands. So give your hands a quick clean before you have to take them out and handle them.
Tip #5 Stay in touch with your hearing specialist
You might assume that you won’t need any help from us once you’ve purchased your hearing aids. Typically, though, this isn’t the case. Most people with hearing loss will want to make routine appointments with us for the following reasons:
- Keep an eye on the status of your hearing loss (making sure it isn’t advancing faster than expected).
- To clean and maintain your hearing aids.
- To help you fine-tune your fit.
What should you do when something breaks?
Occasionally, despite your best efforts, something goes wrong with your hearing aids (maybe you accidentally step on them). When this takes place, you should get in touch with us as quickly as possible.
If your hearing aid 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? Schedule an appointment today!