Keeping your hearing aids in tip-top condition will ensure they always work for you. Follow these simple care and maintenance tips to get the most out of your investment.
Ensure your hearing aids are dry before putting them back together. You can use a little kit that contains desiccant or an electronic device that heats them to evaporate the moisture. For more hearing aids Adelaide maintenance tips, check this out.
Dry Your Hearing Aids
Moisture is your hearing aid’s worst enemy. It’s virtually impossible to avoid and can damage your hearing aids if you don’t dry them properly. Humidity causes condensation, which can affect the delicate electrical components inside your device.
Immediately remove your hearing aids from your ears if you get them wet, and wipe them down with a cloth, especially in the battery compartment. Try to dry out as much water as possible, but don’t use salt or sand because it can cause corrosion.
Avoid getting your hearing aids wet by removing them before showering, swimming, working up a sweat at the gym or applying aftershave, hair spray, perfume and sunscreen. Make sure you also take them out before using a hair dryer. You can also purchase a hearing aid drying box or electronic device to dry and sterilise your devices in storage. They retail between 100 and 150 dollars and are well worth the investment to ensure your hearing aids last longer.
Clean Your Tubes
The tubes that connect your hearing aids to your ear or ears spend all day in places where earwax, sweat and oils gather, making them the perfect place for dirt and debris to collect. Regular cleaning will help them last longer and stay in better condition.
Your audiologist should provide thin cleaning tools that look like a wire you can send through your tube to clean out any wax, dirt or other debris. These are especially useful if you have the slim tubing that goes with behind-the-ear (BTE) models or the thicker tubes with some RIC styles.
If you have a BTE style, gently remove the plastic tubing from your earhook and wash it with your earmold or mould in warm soapy water. Be sure to thoroughly dry the ear mould and mould before reattaching it to the hearing aid. Then, you’re ready to wear them again! If you have a snap-on style, push the tubing back onto the base, ensuring it sits flush with the hearing aid body.
Change Your Batteries
The best way to prolong the life of a hearing aid battery is by changing it regularly. Most hearing aids come with a small container of replacement batteries and can also be purchased from most pharmacies. You will hear two beeps when it’s time to change your batteries. These beeps will continue to repeat intermittently until the battery runs out.
When removing the new battery, please keep your hands clean so that dirt and grease do not damage it. It would be best if you also waited a minute before inserting the battery to give it time to activate with air.
It would be best if you stored your hearing aids with the battery compartment open when they’re not in use. It will prevent them from draining and causing them to lose power. It is essential to store them safely away from children and pets, as batteries can be dangerous if swallowed. It’s best to keep them somewhere dry, such as a sock drawer or jewellery box.
Clean the Microphone Ports
The microphones in your hearing aids pick up sounds from your environment, amplify them and deliver them to your ears. They can be impacted by debris such as dust, wax and cosmetics, preventing them from working effectively.
Start by brushing over the microphone ports with the special brush provided in your kit. Always brush downwards so that any loose wax or dirt falls out of the device rather than staying inside. Next, use the small wax loop or hook on the end of your multi-tool to remove any earwax stuck in the mic port.