You’ve heard of spring cleaning for your home, but what about your hearing aid?
The ritual of “spring cleaning” comes from the old practice of cleaning out the home after it was closed for months, keeping winter cold at bay. When wood fires and coal furnaces were the primary sources of heating and cooking, interior furnishings and surfaces would become coated with soot and ash and infused with the aroma of smoke. Even though we use cleaner forms of energy today, the ritual remains. Spring is a great time to freshen things up; and that includes your hearing aids.
Spring Cleaning Hearing Aids
Your in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid is a marvel of electronic engineering reduced to a miniature size. All that wonderful technology operates in a warm, damp environment that creates earwax. To keep your hearing aid technology in optimal shape, follow the below tips:
Wax Removal. Firmly, but gently, hold the hearing aid in your hand. Remove earwax using the tool that came with your hearing aid. Concentrate on brushing wax from the holes in a downward motion so that it falls away from the device and not into the holes. Use a wax hook or wax pick to remove the earwax from the holes.
Wipe Gently. Once all wax and debris are removed, wipe the entire device gently with a soft, dry, clean cloth.
Clean the Battery Compartment. Open the battery compartment and remove the batteries. Gently clean the battery compartment with your cleaning brush. Return batteries to their place. If you do this at bedtime, leave the compartment open to air dry.
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids need routine maintenance as well! It doesn’t take long, but it can help your hearing aids last longer. Since it requires some drying time, its best to do your spring cleaning just before you go to bed. Consider the following tips:
Remove Debris. First, remove all wax and debris with the wax pick or wax hook, brushing it away from any key components.
Clean the Earmold. Remove the earmold and clean it with a small amount of warm, soapy water.
Drying. Using a hearing aid dryer, remove water from tube. Then, lay the tube on a clean, absorbent towel to dry overnight.
Clean the Battery Compartment. Clean the battery compartment in the same manner as described for ITE hearing aids.
Most of these things you can do on your own. If you are hesitant to do this, stop by Purchase Ear Technology located at 2008 Broadway Street in Paducah, KY. We would be glad to assist you.