According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, nearly 29 million adults could benefit from the use of hearing aids. If you are new to using hearing aids yourself, you are probably wondering just how important it is to clean them. In short, very important. In fact, you should be cleaning them every night.
The Importance of Cleaning Your Hearing Aids
Cleaning your hearing aids and caring for them properly is essential. When you allow wax and other debris to build up on them, it will make it harder for sound to transmit through the microphones, thereby making it harder for you to hear throughout the day. In fact, ear wax buildup on the speakers is one of the most common causes of dysfunction in earpieces. Loss of hearing functionality isn’t the only thing you need to worry about, either. When you take care of your hearing aids properly, they will work better for longer, meaning that you won’t need to have your audiologist adjust your aids, nor will you need to replace them for some time. In the end, a few minutes a night will save you money down the line.
How To Properly Clean Your Hearing Aids
Your hearing aids will benefit from daily care.
- When you remove them each evening, use a tissue or a soft brush to wipe off any excess earwax, moisture, or debris, paying special attention to the microphone pieces.
- If you have behind-the-ear aids, your microphone pieces will be on the body of it.
- If your aids go in your ear, then the microphones are on the faceplates.
- After wiping down your aids each evening, make sure they are turned off, open the battery compartments, and store them in a cool, dry place. If you can, use a hearing aid dehumidifier to prolong their life.
Sometimes, weekly care is important as well.
- If needed, you can remove the earmolds from the aids to wash them with soap and warm water.
- Dry them with an air blower or allow them to dry overnight to remove all moisture before reattaching them to the rest of the device.
- Avoid using alcohol, solvents, or water directly on the device, which can damage the internal pieces.
- Always turn them off when not in use and replace dead batteries right away.
- Avoid using hair styling products near the ears when hearing aids are in use and never use them near heat.
When To Take Your Hearing Aids to a Professional
If you do not follow a regular cleaning routine with your hearing aids, you may need to take them to your audiologist for professional cleaning and maintenance. Sometimes, routine cleaning still misses areas that are harder to reach. If you find that you have trouble hearing even after cleaning your devices, your audiologist can use special tools meant to remove debris from the hard-to-reach areas.
Are you interested in learning more about our hearing aid services and how to properly care for them? Watch our video on cleaning hearing aids here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg1juMBR0Kc
Contact us today to learn more about our services or to make an appointment:
Call or text: (626) 734-6555
Email us at: appointments@hearcenter.org
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Also, for more information about Hearing Aids please visit our webpage: https://www.hearcenter.org/services/hearing-aids/