How to Clean a Hearing Aid

Hearing aids and earmolds need a regular cleaning to keep them in top working condition. Earmolds and tubing must be kept free of wax and debris to ensure optimal hearing results. A simple hearing aid kit will help you maintain your hearing aid and keep all the components in working condition. Read on to learn how to clean a hearing aid.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Wax Pick
• Hearing Aid Brush
• Hearing Aid Tube Blower

Cleaning the Hearing Aid

1. Purchase a wax pick and brush from your audiologist or hearing aid supplier. Sometimes these are included with the purchase of your hearing aid.
2. Remove the hearing aid from your ear.
3. Examine the earmold for accumulated wax. If there is wax on the earmold, remove the wax with the wax pick.
4. Clean the outside of the hearing aid with a soft cloth.
5. Remove the battery. Using the brush, clean the battery compartment by brushing gently.
6. Return the battery to the hearing aid. Close the casement. Use the hearing aid as you normally would.

Cleaning An Earmold

7. Purchase a hearing aid cleaning kit from your audiologist or a hearing aid supplier. A kit should contain a wax pick, brush and a blower. Sometimes these are included with the purchase of your hearing aid.
8. Remove the hearing aid from your ear.
9. Examine the earmold for accumulated wax. If there is wax on the earmold, remove the wax with the ear pick.
10. Remove the earmold from the ear hook on the hearing aid by locating the end of the earmold tube where it connects with the ear hook. Twist the tubing and pull gently to remove.
11. Clean the earmold in soapy water and rinse with clean water.
12. Place the blower on the end of the tube and squeeze. This will force the water out of the tube. Dry overnight. Connect the earmold back on to hearing aid.
13. Remove the battery. Using the brush, clean the battery compartment by brushing gently.
14. Return the battery to the hearing aid. Close the casement. Use the hearing aid as you normally would.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not immerse your hearing aid in water--doing so will damage the hearing aid. Only the detached earmold can be immersed.
• Make sure the earmold and tubing are completely dry before attaching to the hearing aid.