Standard Hearing Aid Cleaning and Maintenance
๐ฟ๐ค๐๐จ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ “๐๐ง๐ค๐ ๐๐ฃโ ?
We sometimes think our devices are defective when really weโve gotten behind in cleanings! Performing regular maintenance keeps hearing aids in working order.
Humidity and sweat produce earwax that along with miniscule debris, accumulates inside of ports and openings in devices.
Your hearing aid type determines how youโll clean them๐ฆป๐ผ.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ง๐ผ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐
Prepare for hearing aid maintenance with a hearing aid cleaning tool kit, replacement wax traps (also known as wax filters) and domes, tissue paper, a dry cloth, a small, soft-bristled brush (either specific to hearing aid cleaning or a childโs toothbrush),and/or cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol. Remember to wash your hands before handling your device for extra sanitation ๐งผ.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ (๐ฅ๐๐) ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด
Start by replacing your wax trap. Videos showing step-by-step instructions on this process are available online. Be sure to brush all microphone ports, microphones, the push button, and the charging port or inside the battery compartment to remove ear wax.
The dome, a trickier spot, will require using the wire tip of a hearing aid cleaning tool pushed through the dome tip. Replace domes as needed. Rubber domes harden over time and are susceptible to earwax buildup.
โ ๏ธ ๐๐๐๐โ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ฃ : Donโt stick foreign objects into any openings or ports! Use only recommended hearing aid tools with caution โ ๏ธ
๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ (๐๐ง๐) ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด
On top of dome maintenance and microphone and battery port brushing, youโll clean the earmolds and tubing of BTE hearing aids.
For earmolds with speakers inside, remove the earmolds from their hooks and gently clean the openings with a small wire loop tool (common in hearing aid cleaning kits).
Earmolds without speakers can be washed in warm, soapy water.
Youโll then blow out ๐จ excess moisture in the tubing and let dry overnight.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ ๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ: Tubes become hard and crack over time, which creates an uncomfortable wearing experience and alters sound quality. ๐๐๐จ๐๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐ช๐๐๐ค๐ก๐ค๐๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐จ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ.
๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ (๐๐ง๐) ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด
Earwax and skin oils build up in ITE hearing aids quicker because they sit squarely inside the outer ear. These compact devices require more frequent cleanings.
Change your wax filter periodically to prevent damage to your ITE hearing aids from the earwax making its way through.
In addition to paying special attention to your ports, openings, and outer casing (wipe with a dry, lint-free cloth), youโre going to employ a vent cleaning tool (a thin flexible wire tool) for removing earwax from your ITE devicesโ delicate vents.
๐๐ป-๐๐ต๐ฒ-๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐น (๐๐ง๐) ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐-๐ถ๐ป-๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐น (๐๐๐) ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด
Exercise extra care with these smaller devices!
Wipe the outside of these devices and replace the wax guards. Then, focus on the tiny openings and sound outlets with your small loop tool or a small brush. If wax is blocking the sound outlet, gently use a hearing aid cleaning pick or the small cleaning brush to remove.
๐๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐๐ณ๐ณ๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป’๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐บ!
๐๐ค๐ฌ’๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐จ. ๐พ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐จ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ช๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ข:
๐ (๐ณ๐ฌ๐ญ) ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฎ-๐ญ๐ฌ๐ณ๐ณ