It probably seems like a simple thing to care for your hearing aids. After all, you were likely given a set of care guidelines when you originally bought your devices. In regard to regular 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 retain some of it. So you still might be wondering, what should my cleaning routine look like? What about my service schedule? How can I make my hearing aids last as long as possible?
These five, easy-to-follow tips can help give you some answers, as well as simple ways to help in maintaining your hearing aids so they work better longer.
Tip #1: Try not to allow your hearing aids to get wet
Electronics typically don’t do well with wetness. Hearing aids are slightly water resistant but aren’t at all waterproof, so they need to be kept as dry as possible. Here are several ways to do just that:
- Find a cool and dry spot to keep your hearing aids when you’re not wearing 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. It also helps to store them in the same place every day so you’re not wondering where you put them. Also, cats love to play with hearing aids and dogs will occasionally attempt to eat them, so don’t just leave them lying around.
- Don’t use hair products while you’re wearing your hearing aids. That is, take your hearing aids out before utilizing a lot of hair spray or hair gel. These types of products can really gunk up your devices.
- When it’s humid outside, run a dehumidifier. When it’s really humid, your hearing aids can have more dampness than you would want even inside. And the fragile electronics inside of your device will be compromised. If you want to get the most longevity out of your hearing aid as you can, get that dehumidifier running!
Tip #2: Keep the earwax filters nice and clean
The human body normally generates earwax in a healthy way. Hearing aid designers are well aware of this. The majority of modern hearing aids have features that are created to deal with a modest earwax production.
It’s up to you to be sure there isn’t too much earwax on your hearing aids. So make changing out your wax guard, when necessary, a regular part of your cleaning regimen. Depending on which model hearing aid you have, you can get specialized little tools for this and we can help you with that.
What is the replacement schedule for earwax guards? Well, for most models, it will be around once every month or so.
Tip #3: Keep your batteries charged and fresh
Your batteries keep your hearing aids working. Your hearing aid will last much longer if you keep your batteries fresh. So there are a few battery-care steps you can take:
- Get a battery charger or a rechargeable hearing aid: That way, you won’t be throwing batteries (and money) away again and again .
- 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 stop working when you really need them.
- Keep all of the contact points on the battery clean and dry. 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: Only use clean hands to handle your devices
Your hearing aids are going to spend most of their time in your ears. But they depend on you to put them in. You use your fingers to put in your hearing aids, and those fingers could contain all kinds 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 important that you don’t handle your hearing aids with dirty hands. So before you put in or take out your hearing aids, give your hands a quick wash.
Tip #5 Keep us in the loop
You may presume that you won’t require any assistance from us once you’ve purchased your hearing aids. But… this is not typically true. Here are a number of very good reasons why scheduling regular appointments with us is still important.:
- To clean and maintain your hearing aids.
- Keep track of the status of your hearing loss (making certain it isn’t advancing faster than expected).
- To help you adjust your fit.
What should you do when something breaks?
Occasionally, despite your best efforts, something goes wrong with your hearing aids (perhaps you accidentally step on them). You should get in touch with us as soon as you can in situations like this.
If your device requires any repairs, or you need a new one, we can help with that.
Schedule an appointment with us today to talk about your current or next pair of hearing aids.
