Hearing Aid Maintenance: How to Keep Your Devices Working Their Best

Hearing aids are small, sophisticated pieces of technology that spend their entire working life in one of the worst possible environments for electronics: a warm, moist, waxy ear canal. The fact that they work as well as they do is impressive. The fact that they need regular care to keep working should not be surprising.

Good maintenance habits take about two minutes a day and can be the difference between hearing aids that last three years and hearing aids that last seven.

Daily cleaning

Every night when you take your hearing aids out, give them a quick wipe with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use water, alcohol, or cleaning sprays unless they are specifically made for hearing aids. Regular household cleaners can damage the electronics and the casing.

Pay attention to these areas:

The receiver opening (the part that goes in your ear). This is where earwax accumulates. If your hearing aids have wax guards or filters, check them visually. If the guard looks clogged or discoloured, replace it. Your audiologist will show you how and supply replacements.

The microphone ports. These are tiny openings, usually on the top or back of the hearing aid. If they get blocked by debris, sound quality drops immediately. Use the small brush that came with your hearing aids to gently sweep across the ports. Never push anything into them.

The battery contacts or charging pins. For disposable battery models, wipe the battery contacts with a dry cloth. For rechargeable models, make sure the charging pins on the hearing aid and the charging dock are clean and dry before docking.

Moisture management

Moisture is the number one enemy of hearing aids. It gets in from sweat, humidity, rain, and condensation, and it can corrode the electronics over time.

Use a drying kit. Every hearing aid user should have either a desiccant jar (a container with silica gel beads) or an electronic dryer. At night, open the battery door (or turn off rechargeable aids) and place them in the drying kit. This draws out any moisture that accumulated during the day.

Electronic dryers are more effective than desiccant jars and also sanitize with UV light. They cost between 30 and 60 dollars and are worth every penny, especially in Edmonton where winter condensation and summer humidity both pose risks.

Take them out before showering. This seems obvious, but it is the most common cause of water damage. Set them on the counter before you step in.

Be careful with hairspray and sunscreen. Apply these products before putting your hearing aids in, or take the aids out first. Hairspray residue can clog microphone ports, and sunscreen can coat the casing and interfere with the battery door or charging contacts.

Watch for condensation in winter. Moving from a cold Edmonton winter day into a warm building causes condensation, just like eyeglasses fogging up. Moisture can form inside the tubing or on the electronics. Using a drying kit overnight handles this, but if you notice crackling or intermittent sound on cold days, condensation is likely the cause.

Wax guard replacement

Most modern hearing aids have a small wax guard or filter at the tip of the receiver (the part that sits in your ear canal). These guards prevent earwax from getting into the electronics. They are designed to be replaced regularly.

How often depends on how much wax you produce. Some people replace wax guards monthly. Others need to do it weekly. Your audiologist will establish a schedule based on your ears.

Replacement is simple. Each guard comes on a small tool with a removal end and an insertion end. Pull the old guard out, push the new one in. Your audiologist will walk you through it at your fitting appointment and give you a supply to take home.

If you let a wax guard go too long, the sound will become muffled, quiet, or distorted. Before assuming your hearing aid is broken, check the wax guard first. It is the most common fix.

Battery care

For rechargeable hearing aids: Place them in the charger every night. A full charge takes about three hours and lasts 16 to 24 hours depending on streaming use. Do not let the batteries drain completely to zero on a regular basis. Lithium-ion batteries last longest when they are kept topped up.

The built-in batteries in rechargeable hearing aids typically last four to five years before needing replacement. Your audiologist can replace them when the time comes.

For disposable battery hearing aids: Use zinc-air batteries (the standard for hearing aids). When you peel the tab off a new battery, wait about 60 seconds before inserting it. This allows the battery to fully activate and can extend its life by up to three days.

Store unused batteries at room temperature in their original packaging. Do not keep them loose in a pocket or purse where they can short-circuit against coins or keys. Do not store them in the fridge or freezer. That is an old myth and does not help.

When to bring them to your audiologist

Some issues are beyond what daily care can fix. Bring your hearing aids in if you notice:

• Sound that remains weak or distorted after replacing the wax guard
• Feedback (whistling) that does not stop when you reinsert the aid
• Physical damage to the casing, tubing, or receiver wire
• A battery door that does not close properly
• Intermittent sound that cuts in and out
• A complete lack of sound that persists after troubleshooting

Your audiologist has specialized tools and cleaning equipment that goes deeper than what you can do at home. Many clinics offer complimentary cleaning and check appointments between regular follow-ups.

At minimum, bring your hearing aids in for a professional cleaning and check every six months. This is also a good time to have your hearing retested and your hearing aid programs adjusted if anything has changed.

Storage

When you are not wearing your hearing aids, store them in their case or drying kit. Do not leave them on a bathroom counter (moisture), in a car (heat), or on a nightstand where a pet might find them. Hearing aids are one of the most commonly chewed items in homes with dogs.

If you will not be wearing them for an extended period, open the battery door (or turn off rechargeable aids) and store them in a dry, room-temperature location.

Professional maintenance in Edmonton

At Medicine Place Hearing Care, we provide cleaning, wax guard replacement, minor repairs, and programming adjustments at both of our Edmonton locations. Regular maintenance visits are always welcome, and most are quick, 15 to 20 minutes in and out.

Your hearing aids work hard. A little care keeps them working longer.

Book a hearing aid checkup at Medicine Place Hearing Care in Edmonton.