If your hearing aids sound a little flat by the end of the week, wax and moisture may be to blame. A consistent hearing aid cleaning routine helps keep your devices working well and prevents the frustration of buildup interfering with sound.
At The Hearing Center of Ohio in Columbus’ Arena District, board-certified hearing instrument specialist Dick Frankenberg, B.S., BC-HIS, can demonstrate how to care for your specific devices and explain when they need professional cleaning or maintenance. Using the right tools and methods for daily and weekly care helps maintain comfortable listening and remove buildup without making the problem worse.
How Often Do Clients Need to Clean Hearing Aids?
Clients need to clean hearing aids every day with a gentle wipe and inspection, then give them a closer look 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. Ask Dick Frankenberg how often to return based on your devices, wax buildup, and previous maintenance needs.
Why Does Hearing Aid Care Vary by Device Type?
Hearing aid care varies by device type because each style routes sound differently and exposes different parts to wax and moisture. 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.
What Should Your Nightly Hearing Aid Cleaning Look Like?
Your nightly hearing aid cleaning should include turning the device off, wiping and inspecting it, brushing the microphone openings, and then drying, storing, or charging it. 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. Then 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.
When Should You Change a Wax Filter or Replace Worn Parts?
You should change a wax filter when it is blocked or when your device’s instructions call for it, and replace domes or tubing once they show wear. A weekly check gives you a chance to inspect areas that need more attention than a quick wipe. Look for persistent wax, blocked filters, worn domes, and stiff, cracked, or discolored tubing. Damaged parts may need replacement rather than additional cleaning.
Use the exact filter type specified for your device, and don’t assume every filter needs weekly replacement. Use a vent cleaner or wax loop only in the locations Dick Frankenberg 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 Can Harm Hearing Aids While You Clean Them?
The things most likely to harm hearing aids while you clean them are soaking the electronics, using harsh chemicals, pushing tools into openings, and drying the devices with heat. 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.
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. If wax in the ear itself is the problem, professional earwax removal is the safer route.
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.
See Dick Frankenberg for Hearing Aid Care in Columbus
A one-on-one demonstration can make hearing aid care easier to manage. During an appointment, Dick Frankenberg can review your devices, hearing concerns, and goals for comfortable daily use, then show you the cleaning steps that fit your model.
Call or text 614-412-2149 or contact The Hearing Center of Ohio to schedule a hearing aid care visit at our Neil Avenue office in the Arena District, where parking is validated and free valet parking is available.