Hearing aids are an important investment and have been designed to be both reliable and durable. Take a few minutes each day to clean them. These devices operate in conditions that are on the ear or inside of your ear canals where they are subjected to environmental factors, earwax, and moisture. Regular cleaning that you can conduct combined with routine maintenance provided by your hearing care professional will provide you with years of reliable better hearing.
Due to the coronavirus, please wear gloves when cleaning hearing aids. Instead of using a cloth to wipe the surface, use wet wipes which do not contain alcohol. An alternative to wet wipes is cleaning with a mild soap solution on a hard-twisted cotton cloth. Avoid using excess water that can enter the hearing aid.
Most hearing aid devices are supplied with a cleaning tool and/or cleaning cloth. A wax pick and brush are indispensable tools for at-home cleaning.
Hearing aids that sit behind the ear have two different types of earmolds, one with a receiver (RIC) or earmold without a receiver. These two types of earmolds are cleaned differently. Earmolds without receivers can be detached from the hearing aid for cleaning. These types of molds can be cleaned with the multitool and wiped with a clean cloth ensuring that the sound port (opening) is kept free of earwax. Additional cleaning can be conducted using mild warm soapy water. Rinse and dry completely before reconnecting to the hearing aid. Cleaning the behind the ear hearing aid with a receiver (RIC). These types of receivers can be housed within an earmold or have a dome type covering. If you are unsure of which type you have consulted your hearing professional. The dome or the earmold can be cleaned with a clean dry cloth. You can then use the brush to carefully brush the receiver from any earwax or debris. Some receivers may have a wax guard that can be removed or replaced. Please consult you instruction book or contact your hearing care professional on the proper method for wax guard exchange.
Hearing aids are extremely susceptible to problems caused by earwax. Even a small amount of earwax can cause hearing aids to malfunction. Water or other fluids should not be used to clean these type of hearing aids. Instead, clean the surfaces of the hearing aid with a soft, dry cloth and use the special brush and tool supplied with the aid to clean around the sound outlet, microphone opening and vent. If earwax has accumulated around the sound outlet, remove it with the cloth or the small brush supplied with your hearing aid. If you let the wax dry overnight first, it will be easier to remove. Hold the device with the opening you are cleaning facing downward so any loose particles will fall out of the hearing aid instead of staying lodged inside. Most ITE type hearing aids also have a vent tube located near the sound port. You can utilize the multitool to clean the vent. Never at anytime insert anything into the microphone opening of the hearing aid. Your ITE hearing aid may have a wax guard. A wax guard is a special type of filter, which is placed in the sound outlet and is usually designed to be exchanged by the wearer. The filter helps to prevent wax and dirt from entering the sound channel. If your hearing aid is provided with a wax guard it is important to remove any wax or dirt that has accumulated around it. Use the soft cloth or the small brush for this purpose. If you have any questions on how to change this filter consult your user manual or contact hearing care professional.
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