It probably seems like a simple thing to take care of your hearing aids. When you initially got your hearing aids, you probably got a set of care guidelines, after all. Most hearing specialists will give you a step-by-step how-to when it comes to routine hearing aid maintenance. Still, getting all of that information at once means you most likely didn’t remember some of it. So you may still have questions like, how frequently should I clean my hearing aid? Or, how frequently 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 tip-top working order, check out the following tips.
Tip #1: Keep your hearing aids dry
Moisture and electronics don’t really get along that well. Even though your hearing aids might provide a certain amount of water resistance, you generally want to keep moisture away from them. Beyond the obvious, this means you should do things like the following:
- When you have your hearing aids in your ears, don’t use hair care products. When you’re going to utilize hair spray or gel, remove your hearing aids. Your hearing aid can really get gunked up from these types of products.
- Find a dry and cool spot to keep your hearing aids when you’re not wearing them. Many people wonder what the best way to store hearing aids is. So the steamy bathroom won’t 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 place every day. In the same way, don’t leave your hearing aids just lying about, dogs love to eat them and cats like to play with them!
- Keep a dehumidifier running during those more humid months. Even inside, high humidity means your hearing aids might be more damp more often. And the delicate electronics inside of your device can be compromised. If you want to get the most longevity out of your hearing aid as possible, get that dehumidifier going!
Tip #2: Check (and clean) those earwax filters
Earwax production is a healthy and normal thing for the human body to do. It’s also something that hearing aid makers understand is going to take place. The majority of modern hearing aids incorporate features that are designed to deal with a modest earwax production.
It’s up to you to make sure there isn’t too much earwax on your hearing aids. This means inspecting and swapping the wax guards when necessary (and making that an element of your hearing aid cleaning program). You can invest in and utilize special cleaning tools for this, depending on what model you have (ask us for guidance here).
What is the replacement schedule for earwax guards? Well, for most models, it will be around once every month or so.
Tip #3: care for the batteries
Your batteries keep your hearing aids going. Your hearing aid will last much longer if you keep your batteries fresh. So there are a few battery-care steps you can take:
- Be sure all of the battery contacts and components are dry. If they are dirty or wet, you can use a clean, dry cloth to wipe them. This is yet another place in your device where moisture is the enemy.
- Invest in a rechargeable device or a battery charger: That way, you won’t be throwing batteries (and money) away again and again .
- Remember to switch off your devices when you aren’t wearing them. This just drains the battery for, well, no good reason. Consequently, when you need your hearing aids the most, they might not be charged enough to function.
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 depend on you to put them in. You use your hands to put in your hearing aids, and those fingers could contain all kinds of things (salt, maple syrup, Cheeto dust, and so on). By design, hearing aids are very delicate and probably won’t do well with things like crumbs.
It’s important that you don’t touch 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
It may seem like, once you have your hearing aids, you can just forget all about your hearing specialist. Typically, though, this isn’t the case. Most people who have hearing loss will want to set up regular appointments with us for the following reasons:
- To help you calibrate your fit.
- Keep track of the status of your hearing loss (making sure it isn’t progressing quicker than expected).
- To clean and maintain your hearing aids.
When something breaks, what should you do?
Occasionally, despite your best efforts, something goes wrong with your hearing aids (maybe you accidentally step on them). When this occurs, you should get in touch with us as quickly as possible.
If your hearing aid requires any repairs, or you need to get a new one, we can help with that.
Want to talk to us about your next set of hearing aids? Set up an appointment today!