Is one of your New Year’s Resolutions to take better care of your hearing devices? If not, maybe it should be! Your hearing aids are essential, yet delicate devices, and they need proper care to stay in good condition for as long as possible. If you’ve grown lax on your hearing aid care, let’s discuss ways you can incorporate good device maintenance into a daily routine, and it takes less than ten minutes.
Setting Reminders
Life is busy, and sometimes it’s easy to forget about your cleaning routine for your hearing aids. Instead of relying on memory, set some reminders for yourself to help you stay on track. You could set an alarm on your phone to go off every day at the same time, prompting you to follow your cleaning routine, or you could place a sticky note on your bedside table, so you see it before going to bed. Use whatever notification or reminder system that works for you.
Hearing Aid Cleaning Routine
Cleaning your hearing aids every day is quick and easy, and it’s essential for maintaining the health of your devices. Before you begin, please wash your hands with soap and water; you don’t want to inadvertently transfer more dirt or oils to the hearing aids.
To clean your hearing aid, use a tissue or soft cloth—microfiber cloths work very well—to wipe down all the parts of the hearing aid body. This removes dirt, earwax, dust and oils that may have accumulated over the course of the day. Next, clean the microphone with a hearing aid brush. The microphone is a delicate component of the hearing aid, so be gentle with your touch and avoid pushing too hard.
Finally, inspect the wax trap. Earwax buildup in the trap can cause distorted or muffled sound quality. Change the wax trap if needed. We’ve made some videos on cleaning your hearing aids and changing the wax traps that you can view here if you would like a visual example.
Battery Care
The batteries power the entire hearing aid. Whether you have rechargeable hearing aids or use replaceable button batteries, you need to take good care of your batteries in order to enjoy the clear hearing your hearing aids can offer.
A full charge of rechargeable hearing aids should last a full day, so dock your hearing aids on their charger overnight to have them ready for the next day. Button batteries may last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, so you don’t need to change them every day. Keep a good stock of batteries on hand and use your oldest pack first.
It’s also a good idea to open the door to the battery compartment overnight every night—or at least every few days—to air out the compartment. Moisture can accumulate in the closed space, but opening the door allows the water to evaporate out. If left in the compartment, it can cause battery corrosion.
Stay on Track with Maintenance Appointments
In addition to a solid ten-minute daily maintenance routine, your hearing aids benefit greatly from regular maintenance appointments with your audiologist. During these visits, your hearing aids will get a professional cleaning with specialized tools, as well as have some basic maintenance performed, which can prevent larger repairs from being needed later. Call Carolina Ear Nose & Throat – Sinus and Allergy Center to make an appointment.