Time for spring cleaning! You’ve probably already handled your home and car, but have you considered your hearing aids? Buildup of dirt, earwax and other grime can cause major performance issues and shorten your hearing aids’ lifespan, so it’s wise to stay on top of your cleaning regimen.
Why You Can’t Neglect Your Hearing Aids for Spring Cleaning
Your hearing aids are powerful devices that keep you connected to the world around you and offer innumerable other benefits toward your overall quality of life, such as increased confidence, stronger relationships and better balance. Not to mention they’re a significant investment. You want to take good care of them.
Since you wear them daily and they’re often exposed to the elements, dirt and grime can accumulate. Not cleaning your hearing aids can cause earwax and moisture to build up, leading to all kinds of issues, such as clogged vents, shorted circuitry, damaged batteries and broken tubing. Prevent major repairs later by keeping your hearing aids clean.
Hearing Aid Cleaning Kit Checklist
Your typical hearing aid cleaning kit should include (depending on your hearing aid style):
- Earwax removal brush
- Earwax pick or loop
- Battery door opener
- Battery replacement magnet
- Tube and vent cleaner
- Wax filter replacement tool and extra wax filters
Additionally, you’ll want to use a soft cloth, preferably microfiber, like the kind you use to clean glasses.
Cleaning Your Hearing Aids Step by Step
- Use the brush to clean earwax from the microphone, speaker and earmolds or domes
- Use the wax pick or loop to get earwax out of any hard-to-reach places that the brush couldn’t clean effectively
- Wipe down the exterior of the devices with a soft cloth
- Run the tube and vent cleaner through the air vents
- Change the wax filters if they’re clogged
- Remove the earmolds, tubing or domes and wash them in warm, soapy water if they’re removable
When You Need a Deeper Clean
The routine above is best done daily, preferably right after you take your hearing aids out at night. But in the spirit of spring cleaning, consider bringing your devices to your audiologist at Southwestern Hearing & Balance for a thorough professional cleaning. Call us today to make an appointment.