Cleaning and Care Products
Like all technology, your hearing aids require care and maintenance. Keeping your devices clean can help prevent wear and tear, extend the life of your technology, and keep you hearing clearly. Regular use of the following items can help ensure that your hearing experiences are second to none.
- Dehumidifers: A dehumidifier is designed for the maintenance and storage of all types of hearing aids. The device is a maintenance chamber that dries and disinfects your devices. This process kills fungi and bacteria, and it greatly reduces itching and the chance of infections.
- Cleansing Wipes: Cleansing wipes contain a surface-active agent that is effective against earwax but doesn’t damage hearing aids, helping to facilitate the daily cleaning of your hearing aids.
- Cleaning Spray: Cleaning spray is specially designed to dissolve earwax quickly, which helps improve sound quality without damaging hearing aids. Cleaning sprays also help prevent skin irritation and eczema.
How and What to Clean Your Hearing Aids With
Cleaning your hearing aids on a daily basis helps ensure their performance and longevity, and it saves money on repairs. Easy to fit into your routine, these hearing aid cleaning tips will help you reduce the amount of wax, debris, dust, and other contaminants that could affect your technology.
Your audiologist will explain to you how to clean and maintain your hearing devices. If you have questions, refer to the written materials given to you at your fitting appointment. Review any questions at your follow-up appointments.
No matter which kind you have, the shell, the receiver, and the microphone are what you’ll want to focus on.
First Things First:
- Wash your hands and make sure they are dry before cleaning hearing aids.
- Work over a soft surface to prevent losing or breaking anything that might fall.
- Be extra mindful when cleaning, handling each piece with care.
- Turn technology upside down so debris will fall out rather than get pushed back in.
- Do not use a soaking wet cloth, unapproved solutions, or cotton swabs.
- NEVER put your hearing aid in water.
What You’ll Need:
- A wire loop for cleaning earwax out of the receiver
- A wax pick to clear out the vent
- A brush to remove debris from the entire hearing aid (mostly for in-the-ear devices) and microphone
- A multitool is very handy when cleaning hearing aids, as it has the above pieces as well as a magnet to help remove your battery
- Tubing air blower, which is used mostly for cleaning moisture out of the tube that connects your over-the-ear ear mold, or dome
Let’s Clean!
- Place your hearing devices, battery doors open in your hearing aid drier (AGX Protect/Perfect Dry Lux or Dry&Store are recommended).
- When the drying cycle is complete, usually in the morning when the devices are dry, gently brush the microphones with your hearing aid cleaning brush or a soft new toothbrush.
- The case or the shell of your device is best cleaned with a soft cloth or brush as described above. If there are particularly difficult parts, you can use a damp cloth to help remove the debris.
- The receiver is most subject to wax buildup, so you will want to be careful and thorough when scooping out debris. It’s also good practice to focus on brushing the receiver when you’re done scooping to make sure you’ve gotten everything.
- Using the brush again, gently clean the microphone.
Cleaning hearing aids manually is the ideal way to maintain them, but over time debris, dust, and wax will build up, so take advantage of your practice’s clean and checks. During this time, parts will be thoroughly cleaned or even replaced to make sure your technology is working its best — so your hearing can too.