Tips to Help Your Hearing Aids Last Longer

Tips to Help Your Hearing Aids Last Longer

Millions of Americans have hearing loss, and many Americans of all ages are wearing hearing aids to help them hear. Hearing aids can improve your quality of life, make it easy to communicate with loved ones, and even reduce your risk of cognitive decline or dementia. If you have a new pair of hearing aids, these are some tips to help your hearing aids last longer. 

Daily Cleaning

Hearing aids can last anywhere from 3 to 7 years, and one of the best ways to help your hearing aids last longer is with routine cleaning. Even 5 minutes a day can make a huge difference in extending the life of your hearing aids. The best time to clean your hearing aids is when you take them out for night. Your daily cleaning should include:

  • Wiping your hearing aids with a soft, dry cloth to remove any build up of earwax, dirt, or dust on the outside of your hearing aids.
  • Using a hearing aid pick or hearing aid brush to clean out any earwax blocking the receiver or the microphone, or around the battery door. 
  • Opening the battery door, and using your cloth to wipe the contact ports. Leave the battery door open for night to fully dry the hearing aids.

If you have Behind-the-Ear hearing aids, you can clean the earpieces and the small tubes once a week. Detach them from the hearing aids, and wash them using warm water. Leave them to dry overnight, and make sure they’re completely dry before reattaching them to your hearing aids.

Making Your Batteries Last Longer

Do you change your batteries every couple of days? There are a few things you can do to extend the life of your batteries. Open the battery compartment whenever you take your hearing aids out of your ears. This ensures that the hearing aid is off, and that you’re not draining power. Get in the habit of opening the battery door as soon as you take your hearing aids off, whether it’s to step in the shower or climb into bed. 

Avoid Moisture Damage

Just like your phone, computer, or other electronics, your hearing aids don’t like water. The coating on your hearing aids will offer some protection against moisture, but your hearing aids aren’t waterproof. Avoid moisture damage by taking off your hearing aids before showering, swimming, or soaking in the hot tub.

You can also avoid moisture damage by storing your hearing aids in a safe place in your bedroom, and not in your bathroom. The bathroom is the most humid room in the house, and keeping your hearing aids in the bathroom can prevent them from drying out properly overnight.

If you’re worried that your hearing aids aren’t getting dry, you can get a hearing aid dryer. Place your hearing aids in this drier overnight, and in the morning your devices will be completely dry.

Changing Hearing Aid Parts

Depending on the kind of hearing aids you have, you may be able to change the replaceable parts and help your hearing aids last longer. For example:

  • You can change the tubes on your Behind-the-Ear hearing aids if you notice any damage or cracks.
  • You can change the filters when they have a buildup of earwax that can muffle the sound.
  • You can replace the earpieces when they get dirty or if they are damaged.

Changing these hearing aid parts, either at home or at your audiologist’s office, can make your hearing aids perform better and last longer.

Regular Servicing

Hearing aids will last a long time, but they do need regular servicing. We recommend getting your hearing aids serviced once every 6 months. Our professionals will notice any problems you’ve missed, and make sure the hearing aids are in great condition. You can even ask us to do a service test, so we can test how well your hearing aids are helping you hear. If your hearing aids need to be adjusted, we can recalibrate them to match your current hearing needs.

Use these tips to get the most out of your hearing aids. If you notice anything wrong with your devices, or feel like you can’t hear clearly, visit us for hearing aid servicing and repairs.