Hearing aids handle a lot in a single day: earwax, skin oils, sweat, and constant handling. A consistent hearing aid cleaning routine keeps your devices working well and prevents the frustration of wax and moisture interfering with sound.
At New River Valley Hearing & Balance, audiologist and licensed hearing aid specialist Joanne F. Dillon, M.S., CCC-A, FAAA, shows patients at our Radford and Floyd offices how to care for their specific devices and explains when they need professional cleaning or maintenance. With the right tools and methods, daily and weekly care helps maintain comfortable listening without making buildup worse.
How Many Days Can Hearing Aids Go Without a Wipe-Down?
Hearing aids shouldn’t go a single day without a gentle wipe-down, and they need a closer inspection about once a week. Daily care removes surface residue before it builds up around the microphone openings, earpiece, and sound outlet. Choose a consistent time, such as after taking them out at night.
Follow your model’s instructions for the weekly inspection. You may need more frequent attention if you produce a lot of earwax, perspire heavily, or spend time in humid conditions.
Wax filters, domes, and tubing have their own replacement schedules. Check them regularly and replace them as needed or as directed, rather than relying on a single universal calendar.
Professional cleaning should supplement home care. Our team provides thorough professional hearing aid cleanings every six months, and Joanne Dillon can tell you how often to return based on your devices, wax buildup, and previous maintenance needs.
Do Receiver-in-Canal and Custom In-Ear Aids Clean the Same Way?
Receiver-in-canal and custom in-ear hearing aids do not clean the same way, because one carries its speaker in the earpiece on a thin wire while the other sits partly or fully inside the ear. Traditional behind-the-ear hearing aids may send sound through hollow plastic tubing to a separate earmold. Some earmolds without electronics can be detached and washed if the manufacturer permits it. Keep the electronic hearing aid body out of water.
Receiver-in-canal hearing aids have a speaker inside the earpiece, connected to the behind-the-ear body by a thin wire. Wipe these components carefully and follow the specific instructions for dome and wax-filter care.
In-the-ear, in-the-canal, and completely-in-canal devices sit partly or entirely inside the ear. Their surfaces, vents, and sound outlets are exposed to wax and skin oils. Small openings require gentle handling and the appropriate cleaning tools.
If you are unsure whether an earpiece contains electronics, ask before detaching or washing it. Similar-looking parts can require different care, and your model’s instructions should guide the process.
Which Steps Go Into an Everyday Hearing Aid Care Routine?
An everyday hearing aid care routine comes down to turning the device off, wiping and inspecting it, brushing the microphone openings, and finishing with the recommended drying, storage, or charging. Wash and dry your hands, then work over a clean towel on a stable surface. Handle one hearing aid at a time so you can keep track of its parts. Follow these steps:
- Turn the device off using its normal controls.
- Wipe the casing and earpiece with a soft, dry cloth.
- Inspect the dome, earmold, and sound outlet for visible buildup.
- Gently brush across microphone openings, directing debris downward.
- Check charging contacts or accessible battery areas as instructed.
- Follow the recommended drying, storage, or charging routine.
Wax may be easier to brush away after drying overnight. You can complete that step the next morning if needed.
For disposable-battery models, instructions may include opening the battery compartment overnight. Rechargeable aids follow a different routine; do not try to open a sealed battery compartment.
Before wearing the aids again, check that removable earpieces are securely attached and the devices are dry.
How Do You Handle Weekly Wax Filter and Earmold Care?
Weekly wax filter and earmold care means inspecting for persistent wax, blocked filters, worn domes, and damaged tubing, then changing or washing only what your device’s instructions allow. This closer look reaches areas that need more attention than a quick wipe. Watch for stiff, cracked, or discolored tubing, because damaged parts may need replacement rather than additional cleaning.
Change a wax filter when required, using the exact type specified for your device. Don’t assume every filter needs weekly replacement. Use a vent cleaner or wax loop only in the locations Joanne Dillon has demonstrated.
If washing a detachable earmold is permitted, disconnect it as instructed, use the approved washing method, and let it and any washable tubing dry completely before reconnecting.
Inspect your charger and remove dust or residue according to its instructions. If buildup remains difficult to remove or sound stays weak, arrange professional service.
What Should Radford-Area Wearers Avoid When Cleaning Hearing Aids?
Radford-area hearing aid wearers should avoid soaking the electronics, using unapproved chemicals, pushing tools into openings, and exposing devices to heat when cleaning hearing aids. Do not immerse the electronic hearing aid or a speaker-containing earpiece in water. A water-resistance rating does not automatically mean the device can be washed. If your hearing aids do get wet, our offices can dry them in minutes with the Redux hearing aid dryer.
Avoid household detergents, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, and other chemicals unless your manufacturer explicitly approves a particular product and method. Even a cleaner marketed for hearing aids may not suit every component. Never spray cleaner directly into openings.
Do not insert needles, pins, or improvised tools into microphone ports or sound outlets. Pushing harder can drive wax inward or damage the parts you are trying to clean.
Keep hearing aids away from hair dryers, microwaves, and other excessive heat sources. Never dismantle the casing for a deeper clean. If a part will not detach easily or you are unsure what it is, stop and ask for guidance.
Schedule a Hearing Aid Cleaning With Joanne Dillon in Radford or Floyd
A personal demonstration makes hearing aid care easier to keep up with. During an appointment, Joanne Dillon, M.S., can review your devices, hearing concerns, health history, and goals for comfortable daily use, then give your hearing aids a thorough professional cleaning.
Our Radford and Floyd offices share one number, 540-731-4327. Call today or request an appointment online to schedule a hearing aid care visit.
