Your hearing aids go everywhere with you, from Triangle commutes to evenings at home, and they collect wax, skin oils, and moisture along the way. A consistent hearing aid cleaning routine helps keep your devices working well and prevents the frustration of wax and moisture interfering with sound.
At Better Hearing Rehabilitation Center in Durham, NC, founder Shaina Stapleton, Au.D., and Sarah Naumovitz, Au.D., both audiologists, can demonstrate how to care for your specific devices and explain when they need professional cleaning or maintenance. The right tools and methods for daily and weekly care help maintain comfortable listening and remove buildup without making the problem worse.
How Often Does Hearing Aid Care Need to Happen at Home?
Hearing aid care needs to happen at home every day, with a gentle inspection and wipe, plus 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.
Time the weekly inspection according to your model’s instructions. 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, and we offer a free clean-and-check for that purpose. Ask our audiologists how often to return based on your devices, wax buildup, and previous maintenance needs.
Do Hearing Aid Styles Like RIC and In-the-Canal Need Special Care?
Hearing aid styles like receiver-in-canal and in-the-canal do need special care, because each design 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.
Which Steps Belong in Your Everyday Hearing Aid Cleaning?
The steps that belong in your everyday hearing aid cleaning are powering 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. 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 Should You Inspect the Wax Filter, Domes, and Tubing Each Week?
You should inspect the wax filter, domes, and tubing each week by looking closely for persistent wax, blockages, and wear that a quick daily wipe can miss. Watch for blocked filters, worn domes, and stiff, cracked, or discolored tubing. 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 Shaina Stapleton or Sarah Naumovitz 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 Could Damage Your Hearing Aids During Cleaning in Durham?
Water, harsh chemicals, sharp tools, and excessive heat are what could damage your hearing aids during cleaning, so keep all four away from your devices. 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.
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 Clean-and-Check at Better Hearing Rehabilitation Center
A short, hands-on demonstration can take the guesswork out of hearing aid care. During your visit, Shaina Stapleton and Sarah Naumovitz can review your devices, hearing concerns, health history, and goals for comfortable daily use, then show you the cleaning steps that suit your model.
Call 919-948-1947 or contact Better Hearing Rehabilitation Center to schedule an appointment at our Consultant Place office in Durham, NC.