How to Properly Maintain Your Hearing Aid at Home

If you look after your hearing aid, you can guarantee it will last a very long time. As small as your hearing aids are, they contain powerful technology, which means that you’ve got to look after them to make sure they work at their best. So, what can you do to make sure you look after your hearing aids at home?

Cleaning Your Hearing Aid Properly

One of the most important things is to clean your hearing aids every day, but thankfully, it is a very quick and easy job. Here are some tips to know when cleaning your hearing aids  – make a checklist of these things to ensure proper cleaning! These items will also help prevent the necessity for professional hearing aid repairs.

• If you are cleaning a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid, make sure you wipe the external parts every day with a dry cloth.
• When cleaning your in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid, use a special moist cleaning wipe or a soft and dry cloth. It’s important to make sure that no liquid gets into the openings or microphone.
• Look at your hearing aid to see if there are any visible marks. If there is anything that wasn’t there earlier, wipe them off carefully using a soft and dry wipe.
• Avoid any pointed objects, for example, needles or scissors. A soft brush with bristles is best because it is delicate.
• Avoid using cleaning agents on your hearing aids. If you use solvents or alcohol, you could damage your hearing aids.
• Make sure that your hands are dry and clean when you are cleaning your hearing aid.

Drying and Storing the Hearing Aid

After cleaning the hearing aid, you need to dry all the parts separately before putting them back together. Any trapped moisture could damage them and stop the hearing aids from working. If you ever get your hearing aid wet, you should never dry it using a device like a hairdryer or a microwave. Drying an item at such a high heat can distort the plastic and damage the technology.

To dry your hearing aids properly you need to use a drying box which you should store your hearing aids in every night. A drying box uses a UV light to ensure that it is completely clean. When you are putting your hearing aid to dry overnight, make sure the battery compartment is open and take the batteries out.

Because hearing aids are so sensitive to any heat or moisture, you always need to store them in a dry and clean part of the home. You should never leave them in the bathroom or kitchen where there is excess moisture or heat. You should also leave them out of the reach of pets and children so they are safe and easier to find.

Keeping Your Hearing Aid Protected

Looking after your hearing aid is crucial, but it’s also a good idea to make sure you get into the mindset of protecting your hearing aids from any excess moisture or earwax build-up. A few of the following habits make a big difference:

• Remove your hearing aid before applying hair spray or makeup: Because a hearing aid is such a delicate device, any small particles can clog the input on the microphone.
• Remove your hearing aid before contact with water: Moisture means your hearing aid will get damaged and be unusable.
• Turn off the hearing aid when not in use: This doesn’t just save the battery, but it gives the device the opportunity to rest. Prolonged use means that you will naturally wear down the capabilities of the device.
• Handle your hearing aid with care: Such small devices need a delicate pair of hands, so when you are handling them or cleaning them, always take extra care to ensure you don’t damage anything. When cleaning devices, make sure it’s over a soft surface in case you accidentally drop them.

Essential Tools for Hearing Aid Maintenance

When cleaning your hearing aids, you might not have the proper tools that you need. Talk to your audiologist about the tools you need to keep up with your hearing aid maintenance, to keep your hearing aids lasting longer. Here are some of the tools you need:

• Microfiber cloth: A microfiber cloth contains millions of little fibers that remove dirt and dust.
• Cleaning brush: Cleaning brushes have soft and small bristles designed for hearing aid maintenance.
• Wax guard: This can be used to block any earwax from entering the device.
• Wax pick with a wire loop: This is a very useful tool that can help you pull earwax out of your device.

If you want to know how to maintain your hearing aid effectively, it’s always a good idea to get in contact with an audiologist as they will give you useful pointers. If you want more information on how to maintain your hearing aid at home, get in contact with the Quality Hearing Aid Center today at (248) 430-8791 and we will be more than happy to help you look after your hearing aid.