Caring for Your BTE Hearing Aids

When it comes to taking care of your behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, you need to know how to clean them with care so that they don't break or fall apart. Cleaning your hearing aids doesn't have to be difficult, not when you have an audiologist on your side who can talk you through how to do it properly. You want to keep your hearing aids working properly, and we've put together a list of how you can best take care of your hearing aids.

Check the battery

Your battery door should be left open every day when you are not using your hearing aids. This will help you to avoid moisture in the battery compartment, which can kill your hearing aid. You can use a battery tester to check if your battery is low or not working at all. Replacing the old battery with a new one should be something you do right away, too, as old batteries can cause corrosion and that'll damage the hearing aids themselves. Always keep some spare batteries with you so that you can ensure that your battery can be replaced if it stops working.

Look at the earmolds

The earmold and tubing shouldn't be clogged up with ear wax or debris from your ears. You can check the earmold and the tubing to make sure that they are not blocked or cracked, and if they are, you need to speak to your audiologist about it! You cannot be walking around wearing broken hearing aids.

Clear the microphone ports

Dirt and wax can easily build up in your hearing aid microphones, and a wax pick can help you to remove all of the debris. You don't have to be too liberal with the wax pick, though, as it can ruin the microphone and cause further issues with it. If you're nervous about clearing this, ask your audiologist to demonstrate how to clean it out, and they'll demonstrate it!

Check the casing

The hearing aid casing for your BTE hearing aids should be intact. If there are any cracks, exposed wires or damage to the battery doors, you should take them back to your audiologist for replacement.

Clean them daily

Every single day, wipe the hearing aids down with a clean, soft cloth and make sure that the cloth is dry. You don't want any moisture getting into your hearing aid, and you need to keep the electrical parts of the hearing aid as dry as the outer casing. Take the earmold and tubing from the ear hook and clean these in water but keep the rest far away from it!

Turn them off

When you aren't using your hearing aids, turn them off and keep the battery door open. The batteries will last longer this way, and you can ensure that the hearing aid is working effectively for longer. Keep your hearing aids safe with this method!

If you need to speak to someone about how to keep your hearing aids from damage, book an appointment with your audiologist!