How do you clean ear hearing aids?
When someone has been using a hearing aid for many hours, it’s normal to notice wax on the guard that goes inside the ear or in some other cases, it can get wet by accident. For these and other unexpected events, it’s important to keep an eye on the maintenance and cleaning of your hearing aid. It will help you prolong its useful life and help it work properly
Hearing aid cleaning kit or tools
First, you have to make sure you get a special kit for cleaning your hearing aid or, if you don’t have one, look for the appropriate objects that can be used to clean it. Generally you need a kit of brushes of different sizes, but mostly:
– Cleaning brush
– Ven cleaner
– Wax guard/filter
– Dry Aid Kit
Your hearing care professional will most likely provide you with products to help keep your ear or hearing aid clean. Your hearing care professional will examine your ear and hearing aids carefully for blockages caused by ear wax or debris, and check the hearing aids for proper function.
We strongly advise you to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning your hearing aids. If you are unable to remove all the wax, your hearing care professional can help you.
In the meantime, you can learn how you can clean your hearing aids yourself.
How often to clean your hearing aids
In general, hearing aids should be cleaned at least once every week, as they are in contact with earwax, which can accumulate on the earmold, thus reducing their lifespan and proper functioning.
Today we will give you some cleaning recommendations.
How to clean your hearing aids
Once you have a kit or the right tools to perform the hearing aids’ cleaning, have a look at the following tips on how to properly clean them every week:
1 – The first thing you should do is detach the parts that make up your hearing aid, separating the washable parts that are usually made of rubber and do not contain any circuitry.
2 –Once you have detached the washable parts, put them in a container with warm water and soap and leave them there for a few minutes, to remove the accumulated wax.
3 –In the warm water, rub the parts of your hearing aid to help remove any residue that may remain.
4 –After a few minutes in the water, rinse the pieces with plenty of water and let them dry on a towel until it’s completely dry.
5 –For the remaining pieces that you could not clean with warm water, take a small or medium bristle brush and brush your hearing aid with moderate force.
6 –Take a needle or special tool and clean the small holes in all parts of your hearing aid; it will help prevent build-up of wax in your hearing aid.
7 –Finally, take a damp cloth and wipe the unwashed parts thoroughly and you are ready to reassemble them again.
Don’t forget that when cleaning the parts with soap and water, you must wait until they are completely dry at room temperature, because if any drops are left inside, they can affect the functioning of your device.
Advice for a daily basic cleaning of specific models
If you are out and about, whether for work or shopping, when you return home, you can use a soft, lint-free cloth lightly dampened in a 30% water and 70% alcohol solution to disinfect your hearing aid quickly; do not pour the liquid on the device or spray it with a sanitizing spray, as this may damage it.
In order for the hearing aids to provide the best performance, your ears should also be free of ear wax and debris, e.g. dry skin or infections.
How to clean an in-the-ear hearing aid
Instead of using a cloth to wipe the surface, you should use antibacterial wet wipes.
How to clean a behind-the-ear hearing aid
You should start by examining the device for debris and use a soft brush or dry cloth. As for the earmold, you should use antibacterial wet wipes, if necessary, and let them dry overnight.
How to clean a receiver in canal hearing aid
Wipe down the surface of your dome and thin wire thoroughly with ampliclear cleaning wipes or with a cloth to remove any dirt or dry wax.
Clean all dirt collected in the sound outlet at the end of your dome by using the hearing aid brush provided.
How easy is it to wear and clean hearing devices?
Now that you’ve realized that wearing and cleaning a hearing aid is so easy and simple, and if you don’t yet have a hearing aid to help you hear better, at Hear Right Canada we’ll help you find the right one for among our variety of models. We encourage you to use one or to give your loved one the opportunity to live a better life.
