How to Properly Clean and Store Your Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are designed to endure regular use, but their compact size hides numerous components. Proper care is essential to ensure their longevity and prevent issues. With the right knowledge of storage and cleaning techniques, you can safeguard your hearing aids, keeping them in optimal condition. Maintaining your hearing aids doesn’t require much effort, but there are a few key practices you should follow. This guide provides valuable insights into safe storage practices and effective cleaning methods for your hearing aids.

How to Store Your Hearing Aids

When you’re not wearing your hearing aids, you need to store them safely. You will want to prevent them from being affected by moisture, as well as dust and dirt. Another thing to keep in mind is extreme temperatures and changes in temperature. So it’s a good idea to store your hearing aids somewhere clean and dry, and cool but not too cold.

If you have rechargeable hearing aids, you might place them in the charging station or case when you’re not wearing them. Otherwise, you might have a case you can keep them in to protect them from dust and dirt. Your bedroom is usually a good place to keep them, where they can be conveniently picked up when you need them but away from excessive moisture in the bathroom. You can also use a hearing aid dehumidifier if you really want to make sure your hearing aids stay dry.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you want to prevent damage from your hearing aids being dropped or other accidents. To make sure they stay safe, keep them away from pets or children. You might also prefer to keep them in a drawer instead of on top of your nightstand, where they could get knocked off. If you store them in the same place every time you take them out, you can avoid losing or damaging them.

Storing Hearing Aid Batteries

If your hearing aids use single-use batteries, it’s also helpful to know how to store them. Like your hearing aids, it’s smart to keep them in a cool and dry place. Put them somewhere they can’t be found (or swallowed) by children or pets. Keep your batteries away from heat, which can shorten their lifespan, and don’t store them next to metal objects or right next to your medication.

It’s a good idea to leave your battery compartment open overnight. There’s no need to remove the batteries, but it can help to release any moisture.

How to Clean Your Hearing Aids

Cleaning your hearing aids regularly helps to keep them functioning. When they’re not clean, there’s a chance that they might not work as well as they should. Fortunately, you can gently clean your hearing aids at home. If you need further cleaning, you can use a professional service to do it for you.

How you clean your hearing aids can depend on what types of hearing aids they are. Different types of hearing aids have slightly different parts that need to be cleaned. For example, in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids have a microphone port, receiver and vent openings, which you should wipe clean with a cloth or brush. Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids feature tubing, which should be cleaned with water and left to dry. The tubing should be replaced if it gets blocked or starts to become discolored.

Establish a Daily Routine

There are some general cleaning tips that anyone should follow. Firstly, wash your hands before you start cleaning your hearing aids. Use a damp cloth or a soft cleaning brush to gently clean the outside of your hearing aids. You can use a wax pick to clean debris from the receiver or microphone ports, but avoid using other sharp objects.

If you wear a style of hearing aids with earmolds, such as BTE hearing aids, you can soak them once a week in warm and soapy water, then leave them to dry overnight. However, make sure you never submerge the electrical parts of your hearing aids in water. Even water-resistant hearing aids are not designed to be submerged underwater for periods of time.

Cleaning your hearing aids can be a good first step in troubleshooting any problems. However, if the problem persists, it might be smart to take your hearing aids to a specialist to have them serviced.

Contact us at Hear Clear for more advice on how to care for your hearing aids. Call our office at (603) 455-8777.