How Do I Properly Clean My Hearing Aid?

So you just picked up your new, shiny hearing aids. The hearing health professional showed you how to use it and what to do, but now you are home and forgot everything. This is not uncommon, so here are some simple tips and tricks to remind you how to care for and clean your hearing aid.

• Wipe down your hearing aid each evening before bed. It is best to wipe it down with a dry, soft cloth and then place it in a protective case. Wax can become caked on and, over time, can be hard to get off, causing fit problems. Unremoved moisture can get into the hearing aid, causing malfunctions and corrosion of the internal components. Be sure to wipe down not only the mold, but also the tubing and casing component of the hearing aid, of that is the type of hearing aid you have. You may be inclined to purchase an electronic drying station to put your hearing aid in overnight to help reduce moisture buildup.
• Clean the receiver, venting hole, and microphone with a small brush each evening before bed as well. Gently brushing out each of these areas will help to keep them clean and free of debris and wax build up. You may need to stick the wire brush through the venting hole to clean it out properly. This is ok to do, but never stick the brush into the receiver or the microphone as it could break, dislodge or damage these pieces.
• Open the battery door and/or turn off the hearing aid when not in use. First of all, you don’t want to go through batteries like candy, so when not using your hearing aid, open the battery drawer, turn off the hearing aid or place it on the charger in the off position overnight to conserve battery life.
• Check the tubing. Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids have tubing that goes over the ear connecting the earmold with the hearing aid located behind the ear. This tubing carries the sound from hearing aid through the earmold and into the ear. This tubing can discolor, shrink and crack over time and needs to be changed on occasion. Some are adept to change their tubing themselves, however, many people take it in to have it done by their hearing health professional. Always be sure to check the tubing for any abnormalities, and be sure to wipe it down each evening before bed as well.
• When not in use, never put the hearing aid in your pocket or leave it lying on the counter. Hearing aids are small, and one can easily forget where they are placed. They can easily be squished, dropped or manhandled when they are not placed in their proper carrying case. Always place your hearing aids in their protective case when not in use.