Warm Weather Maintenance Tips for Your Hearing Aids

Warm Weather Maintenance Tips for Your Hearing Aids

Matt DearingHearing Aids, Hearing Health

With summer just around the corner, it would behoove those of us who wear hearing aids to think about a warm-weather maintenance routine! 

While hearing aid maintenance is a year-round activity, there are a few things you may want to do differently in the summer months. During the summer you spend more time outside and do summer activities like swimming or going on vacation with the family. During the summer months, you’ll need to take extra care to keep your hearing aids clean, dry, and safe. If you’re wearing hearing aids this summer, here are some great summer maintenance tips for your hearing aids.

Protect Your Hearing Aids from Moisture

One of the biggest summertime threats to your hearing aids is from moisture. As temperatures get higher, your hearing aids may be exposed to rain, humidity, and sweat. Moisture can affect the function and sound quality of your hearing aids, or even damage your devices. Moisture can also corrode the battery contacts and shorten your battery life. During the summer months, you’ll need to make sure your hearing aids aren’t damaged by moisture, and perform a bit of extra summer maintenance.

Keep Your Hearing Aids Dry

Make sure you keep your hearing aids dry this summer. Take your hearing aids out before you do any water activities like swimming or visiting the beach. Store your hearing aids in a waterproof container to keep them safe when they’re not in your ears. It’s also a good idea to sit far away from the diving board or the edge of the pool where your hearing aids could get splashed. If you’re doing any outdoor sports, you can get a hearing aid sleeve to protect your hearing aid. Slip the sleeve over your hearing aid to keep it dry, and enjoy clear hearing while you enjoy the summer heat.

Keep Your Hearing Aids Clean

During the summertime, we’re exposed to a lot more debris that can damage our hearing aids or clog the hearing aid microphone or tubing. Make sure your hands are always clean and dry before you touch your hearing aids, especially if you’re on a sandy beach. Sunscreen lotion and bug spray can harm your hearing aids, so slip the hearing aids out before you apply spray-on sunscreen or insect repellent.

Keep Your Hearing Aids Cool

Just like your other electronics, hearing aids don’t like the heat. In fact, the plastic components of the hearing aids can melt in extreme heat. Avoid leaving your hearing aids in the vehicle, or anywhere under direct sunlight.

How to Clean Your Hearing Aids

During the summer, make sure you clean your hearing aids every day. Start by wiping them thoroughly with a clean dry cloth to brush away any dirt or dust. This will also dry the hearing aid by removing any buildup of moisture or sweat.

Next, check the tubing for any buildup of dirt or earwax, and clean them thoroughly. You can also use a cleaning pick to remove earwax from the hearing aids. Then, open the battery door and dry the contact posts.

You should store your hearing aids in a dry, safe place out of reach of your children or pets. We don’t recommend storing your hearing aids in the bathroom, since this is the most humid room in the house. It’s best to leave the battery doors open overnight so your hearing aids dry thoroughly.

Get a Hearing Aid Dryer 

If it’s humid in the summer, we recommend getting a hearing aid dryer. These dryers are a great place to store your hearing aids overnight, and they’ll dry your hearing aids while you sleep! Dehumidifiers will remove any moisture from your devices so in the morning you’ll have dry hearing aids.

Visit Us for Hearing Aid Maintenance!

Enjoy your summer,  but don’t take a vacation from hearing aid maintenance! Spending two minutes a day to clean and dry your hearing aids can make a big difference when it comes to keeping your hearing aids in great shape. 

If you experience any problems with your hearing aids, visit us! Our team can perform a thorough cleaning and look after all your maintenance needs. If you’re shopping for new hearing aids, you can find modern devices with amazing nanotechnology coatings that will help you protect your hearing aids all summer.