Hearing aids are a significant investment in time and money. Under ideal circumstances, your hearing aids should last you about five years – but only if you commit to taking care of them. A major part of making sure your hearing aids are well cared for is ensuring they are properly cleaned. Follow our tips below to safely and effectively clean your devices.
Hearing Aid Cleaning Tools
In order to clean your devices properly, you need the right tools. These include:
- Wax removal brush
- Soft, clean, dry cloth
- Wire loop/wax pick
- Vent cleaner
These tools can be purchased individually or in a multitool.
Hearing Aid Don’ts
Before we review how to clean each popular hearing aid style, we’ll review some don’ts of cleaning your hearing aid.
- Don’t use water to clean the devices or get them wet in any way, as this can damage the delicate electronics within.
- Don’t use any chemical solutions or cleaning wipes that aren’t made for hearing aids.
- Don’t insert anything into the microphone or receiver ports, and make sure you don’t push wax or dirt into the openings.
- Don’t clean your hearing aids near a sink, toilet or over a hard surface, as they can be dropped all too easily.
Cleaning an ITE Hearing Aid
Below are the steps for cleaning an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid:
- Brush the microphone cover, receiver and vent openings to remove debris.
- Use the wire loop/wax pick to remove stubborn residue from the air vent.
- Run a vent cleaner carefully through the opening in each direction (large vents only).
- Wipe down the entire hearing aid with a soft cloth.
Cleaning a BTE Hearing Aid
Here are the steps for cleaning a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid:
- Brush the hearing aid to remove debris.
- Remove the earmold from the hook.
- Brush the earmold, then use the wire loop/wax pick to remove stubborn residue.
- Wipe down the hearing aid and earmold with a soft cloth.
- Wash the earmold with warm water and soap as needed, but make sure it’s completely dry before reattaching it.
Cleaning a RIC Hearing Aid
Below is a guide for cleaning your receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid:
- Brush the hearing aid to remove debris.
- Use your thumbs to massage the dome tip and work out stubborn material.
- Wipe down the hearing aid with a soft cloth.
- Replace the dome as needed (when it appears worn or misshapen, or if there is buildup that can’t be removed).
For more information about cleaning your hearing aids or to schedule an appointment with an audiologist, call The Hearing & Balance Center today.