Caring for your hearing aids probably feels simple enough. After all, you were likely given a set of care guidelines when you originally bought your devices. In regard to routine hearing aid maintenance, the majority of hearing specialists will give you a step-by-step instruction tutorial. But it’s quite likely that you might forget some of that information that you got all at once. 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 get the most life out of my hearing aids?
If you want to keep your hearing aids in tip-top working order, look at the following tips.
Tip #1: Try not to let your hearing aids get wet
Electronics generally don’t like moisture. While your hearing aids might provide a certain amount of water resistance, you typically want to keep them dry. Here are a few ways to do just that:
- Keep a dehumidifier running during those more humid months. When it’s extremely humid, your hearing aids can have more moisture than you would want even indoors. And that dampness can compromise the delicate electronics inside. If you want to get the most life out of your hearing aid as possible, get that dehumidifier going!
- Stay away from using hair products while your hearing aids are in. When you’re going to use hair spray or gel, remove your hearing aids. Your hearing aid can really get gunked up from these kinds of products.
- Store your hearing aids somewhere cool and dry. Knowing the best way to store your hearing aids can be a bit of a challenge for lots of individuals. Well, don’t, for instance, store them in your bathroom (which gets really steamy at least once a day). And in order to keep track of your hearing aids, store them in the same place every day. Also, cats like to play with hearing aids and dogs will sometimes try to eat them, so don’t just leave them lying around.
Tip #2: Keep the earwax filters nice and clean
Earwax production is a healthy and normal thing for the human body to do. Hearing aid makers are well aware of this. Most contemporary hearing aids have features that are designed to cope with a moderate earwax production.
Your job is to be certain your hearing aids don’t become overwhelmed with ear wax. So make swapping out your wax guard, when needed, a regular part of your cleaning regimen. Depending on what model hearing aid you have, you can invest in specialized little tools for this and we can help you with that.
What is the replacement schedule for earwax guards? You will change 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 hearing aid will last. The following are a few tips for battery care:
- Get a battery charger or a rechargeable device: That way, you won’t be throwing batteries (and money) away over and over again.
- When you’re not using your hearing aids, remember to turn them off. This just kills the battery for, well, no good reason. Because of this, when you most need your hearing aids, they may not be charged enough to function.
- Make 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.
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 really great for them.
It’s important that you don’t touch your hearing aids with dirty hands. So give your hands a quick wash before you have to take them out and handle them.
Tip #5 Keep up with your hearing specialist
You might presume that you won’t need any assistance from us once you’ve purchased your hearing aids. But… this is not usually correct. Most people with hearing loss will want to schedule routine appointments with us for the following reasons:
- To help you adjust your fit.
- To clean and maintain your hearing aids.
- Check the status of your hearing loss (making sure it’s not advancing faster than expected).
What should you do when something breaks?
Occasionally, in spite of your best efforts, something goes wrong with your hearing aids (perhaps you accidentally step on them). When this takes place, you should get in touch with us as quickly as you can.
We will be able to help you repair your devices, or get a new set if necessary.
Want to talk to us about your next pair of hearing aids? Set up an appointment today!