It probably feels like a simple thing to care for your hearing aids. After all, you were likely given a set of care instructions when you originally bought your devices. The majority of hearing specialists will give you a step-by-step how-to when it comes to regular hearing aid maintenance. Still, getting all of that information at once means you most likely didn’t remember some of it. So you still might be wondering, what should my cleaning schedule look like? Or, how often should I have my hearing aid serviced? How can I make my hearing aids last as long as possible?
If you want to keep your hearing aids in tip-top working order, look at the following tips.
Tip #1: Keep your hearing aids dry
Electronics generally don’t like moisture. While your hearing aids may offer a certain level of water resistance, you generally want to keep them dry. Here are several ways to do just that:
- When you have your hearing aids in your ears, don’t use hair care products. That is, take your hearing aids out before using a lot of hair spray or hair gel. These types of products can really gunk up your devices.
- When it’s humid outdoors, run a dehumidifier. Even indoors, high humidity means your hearing aids may be more moist more frequently. And that moisture can compromise the sensitive electronics inside. If you want to get the most life out of your hearing aid as possible, get that dehumidifier running!
- Keep your hearing aids somewhere dry and cool. Many individuals wonder what the best way to store hearing aids is. So the steamy bathroom isn’t going to be a very good place to keep your hearing aids. And in order to keep track of your hearing aids, keep them in the same spot every day. Also, cats love to play with hearing aids and dogs will occasionally try to eat them, so don’t just leave them lying about.
Tip #2: Keep the earwax filters nice and clean
Earwax production is a normal and healthy thing for the human body to do. It’s also something that hearing aid designers recognize is going to take place. Most contemporary hearing aids include features that are created to deal with a modest earwax production.
Your task is to make sure your hearing aids don’t become overloaded with ear wax. So make swapping out your wax guard, when necessary, a routine element of your cleaning regimen. Depending on what 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 the majority of models, it will be around once a month or so.
Tip #3: care for the batteries
Your batteries keep your hearing aids going. The better your hearing aid batteries are, the longer your hearing aid will last. The following are some tips for battery care:
- Keep all of the contact points on the battery clean and dry. If they are dirty or wet, you can make use of a clean, dry cloth to wipe them. This is yet another place in your device where moisture is the enemy.
- Don’t forget to turn off your devices when you aren’t using them. Or else, your battery will just sit there and drain. And that means your hearing aids may quit working when you really need them.
- Get a battery charger or a rechargeable hearing aid: That way, you won’t be throwing batteries (and money) away again and again .
Tip #4: Clean your hands before handling your hearing aids
Your hearing aids are going to spend most of their time in your ears. But they depend on you to put them in. 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 exactly very good for them.
Generally, 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 us in the loop
You might think that you won’t require any help from us once you’ve purchased your hearing aids. But… this isn’t normally correct. Most people with hearing loss will want to set up regular appointments with us for the following reasons:
- To track and monitor the advancement of your hearing loss.
- Cleaning and maintenance.
- To help make sure 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). When this takes place, you should contact us as quickly as possible.
We will be able to help you repair your devices, or get a new set if necessary.
Schedule an appointment with us today to talk about your current or next set of hearing aids.