If you have hearing aids, then you should know that keeping them in great condition means performing preventative maintenance. Preventative maintenance ensures cleanliness and keeps the aids working well for years. And there are some tools that you can buy to help you with your maintenance tasks.
Hearing Aid Dehumidifier
Hearings aids are small electronic instruments that should not be exposed to moisture. While it may be easy to simply take out the aids when bathing, you cannot prevent them from being exposed to sweat. Rainwater can also get into the ear when outside and moisture can even gather on the hearing aids when the humidity is high outdoors. And when the aids do get wet, the water can work its way into the battery compartment and cause corrosion.
To help eliminate moisture, purchase a device called a hearing aid dehumidifier. This device is meant for storage at night and it works as a dryer to get rid of any water or sweat that has built up on the aids during the day.
The storage boxes work in a few different ways. Electronic models are ones that work a lot like home dehumidifier units. Air passes through the unit where moisture is removed from the air and stored in a collection chamber. Other models use simple desiccants that absorb the moisture from the environment within the storage box.
When using your dehumidifier, make sure to open the battery compartment and remove the battery before placing the hearing aid inside. This is wise since the compartment is where water can become trapped and cause the most damage.
Cleaning Tool Kit
Typically, your hearing aids should be lightly buffed with a clean cloth every day to remove dust, pollen, and ear wax. And a deeper cleaning should be performed at least once a week. You cannot simply use normal tools to clean the aids because they contain many small holes where household tools will not fit. So, you want to get yourself a small hearing aid cleaning tool kit. These kits come with small brushes, wax removers, and pipe cleaners that are meant to get into the small openings within the aids.
Use the brushes in the tool kit to remove loose wax and then use the short wax cleaners in the vent openings. The pipe cleaners can be used for any deep vents or spaces within the hearing aid.
If you are unsure of the best way to use your tools, make an appointment with your audiologist who can show you about appropriate use. Reach out to a professional to learn more about hearing aid maintenance.