Would you leave a dog in a hot car? Or wear a designer watch in the swimming pool?

Some things deserve special care by virtue of their needs. Both a dog and a designer watch have much in common with a hearing aid, because none of them like extreme temperatures or full immersion in water.

With this in mind, all it takes is to follow some basic dos and don’ts when comes to avoiding hearing aid repairs. The following are the most important to touch on.

Appreciate hearing aid technology

Do appreciate that your hearing device is a miracle of miniaturized technology. As such it needs treating with respect, so just as you’d avoid bouncing your smartphone on the floor, do take care when removing your device and avoid dropping it where possible. A top tip here is to avoid taking your device out over a sink (unless the plug is in) in case that miniature marvel disappears down the plughole.

Avoid excess moisture

Don’t expose your hearing device to excessive moisture. This includes leaving it on the bathroom window ledge while you get a shower. The reason is simple because if condensation gets inside the housing it can corrode the electrical contacts and interfere with function.

Clean and dry your hearing device

Take a moment at the end of each day to gently clean and dry your device. It only takes a minute or two at most, to wipe the earpiece over with a soft cloth, check for wax ingress into the ports, and open the battery compartment to allow it to air overnight. Additionally, consider buying an inexpensive hearing aid dehumidifier for overnight storage.

Keep your ears clean

Don’t forget to clean your ears regularly (or as advised by your audiologist.) Wearing an ear mold can plug the ear canal and interfere with the natural movement of earwax up and out of the ear canal. This could cause the earpiece to become packed with wax, which might impede your listening experience.

Just be sure to clean your ears using an improving product, and avoid the temptation to root around with a cotton tip (this will compact the wax deeper down into your ear and hinder rather than help.)

Check your hearing aid batteries

Regularly check and change the battery. An exhausted or leaking battery means poor performance at best and in a worst case scenario could damage the device. As part of your nightly airing of the device, consider removing the battery and storing it separately.

Inspect your hearing aid

Don’t forget to inspect the delicate tubing after each use. Cracks or blockages are simple to correct and make a world of difference to the audio experience. If you pick up on a problem but aren’t sure what to do about it, contact your audiologist.

Most audiologists can perform quick fixes while you wait, so don’t worry about being without your device.