1. Clean them daily
Earwax, sweat and debris can block your hearing aids and prevent them working properly, so make sure you clean them every day with a soft, dry cloth. For harder to reach places, use the special soft brush and ear pick that came with your hearing aids.
2. Store them carefully
Hearing aids are very sensitive to moisture, radiation and heat, so always store them (turned off) in a clean, dry place when you’re not using them. Have a special place you put them (that’s out of reach of pets and children) so you always know where they are. For overnight storage, a special drying box is recommended.
3. Keep them away from water
Hearing aids must be kept away from water, so don’t wear them when going for a swim or having a shower or sauna. Also, make sure your ears are dry before inserting your hearing aids. If your hearing aids do get wet, do not use a heater, hairdryer, microwave or any similar device to dry them as you’ll damage them.
4. Reduce moisture
Moisture build-up is a common reason why hearing aids need to be repaired. Invest in a hearing aid dehumidifier or drying box, which are available from your audiologist.
5. Watch out for cosmetics
Make-up and hairspray can damage your hearing aids so put them in after you’ve applied your cosmetics.
6. Remove them for medical procedures
Remove your hearing aids before you have an x-ray, MRI or CT scan.
7. Look after the batteries
Your hearing aids can only work properly with specially designed hearing aid batteries. Make sure you have spare batteries, which should always be stored in a cool, dry place. If your hearing aid has a battery door, open it each night to disconnect the batteries (you don’t need to remove them completely) to help the battery last longer.
If you need information or advice about how to look after your hearing aids, please talk to your audiologist.
