When you set out to spring clean your home, you might wipe down the baseboards, dust the bookshelves, vacuum the carpeting or sort through your closet for donations to Thriftology. The cleaning helps you feel fresh and ready for the new season, but your checklist doesn’t need to be exclusive to your house. Spring is also the perfect time to recommit to a nightly hearing aid cleaning routine.
What Happens if I Don’t Clean My Hearing Aids?
Sitting behind or in your ear exposes your hearing aids to wax, oil and other debris. If you don’t remove the buildup nightly, it can clog the microphone or speaker, leading to poor sound quality or a whistling noise called feedback. Unclean devices also expose your ears to bacteria, increasing your chances of an ear infection.
How To Clean Your Hearing Aids
You will need a hearing aid kit to clean your devices. Kits typically include a dual-ended wax pick and brush, a vent cleaner, a battery door opener and a soft cloth. Yours may also include backup wax filters and a wax filter changer.
Take the following steps to keep your devices fresh and clean:
- Brush the devices, including the microphone, speaker and earmolds or domes
- Clear wax from the seams and small nooks on your devices with the wax pick
- Push the vent cleaner through the air vents
- Check the wax filters and replace if necessary
- Use the soft cloth to polish the casing and tubing to remove residual wax and oils
- If you can remove the tubing and earmolds from your devices, remove and wash them in soapy water (check the device manual if you’re unsure if the tubing is removable)
You can bolster your nightly cleanings with regular repair & service appointments. During the appointment, we’ll deep clean your devices and ensure their programming still matches your unique hearing needs.
An estimated 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids. Recommitting to a nightly cleaning routine this spring is an excellent way to ensure you continue to enjoy all the benefits your hearing aids offer. Call Ear, Nose & Throat Consultants today to schedule an appointment with one of our hearing aid experts.