Your hearing aids are intricate pieces of equipment, and it’s your responsibility to take care of them. Proper care will maintain their performance quality and help them last as long as possible. When you wear BTE hearing aids, use several care techniques to keep them in top shape.
First, clean your ear mold every night when you take your hearing aids out. The ear mold may get earwax stuck on it when you wear it, so wipe the entire surface with a soft cloth. In addition, use a hearing aid brush or other clean, soft brush to dislodge any earwax or other debris off the speaker. If you don’t clean this area, your earwax may clog the speaker and distort the sound quality. Never poke anything into the holes in the speaker, but instead, wipe the brush gently across them.
Second, pop open the door for the battery casing every night and leave it open to preserve battery life and allow moisture in the hearing aid to escape. You can also put the whole hearing aid in a special hearing aid dehumidifier overnight to do an even more thorough job of removing moisture. Never wear your hearing aid in the shower, while you’re swimming, or in heavy rain. In addition, keep your hearing aid out of direct sunlight, extreme heat, or extreme cold when you’re not wearing it.
Lastly, replace the clear plastic tubing connecting the ear mold to the rest of your hearing aid when it becomes yellow and brittle. This tubing usually lasts approximately six months, although yours may differ depending on the type of tubing and your environmental conditions. You may be able to replace the tubing on your own; or you can bring your hearing aid to us so we can help you.
