hearing aid cleaning Archives - San Francisco Hearing Center

A Guide to Cleaning Your Hearing Aids

Lisa Monardi — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:01:28 +0000

A Guide to Cleaning Your Hearing Aids

Maximizing Your Hearing Aid Experience:

by: Rixon Rouse, Au.D. Audiologist at San Francisco Hearing Center

How often should you clean your hearing aids? If you guessed something as frequent as “daily” or “weekly” congratulations, you may already be an expert on cleaning your hearing aids. However, if you were unsure or have never cleaned your hearing aids at home then this post may be just for you.

Taking good care of your hearing aids is an important and necessary step keeping them functioning at their full potential. Similarly with any sophisticated electronic device, regular hearing aid cleaning and maintenance extends their lifespan, and ultimately provides you with the clearest, most consistent sound experience. Think of cleaning your hearing aids as a small
investment of your time that pays off in better hearing every day!

Why is Cleaning Important?

Your hearing aids are constantly exposed to various elements such as earwax, moisture, oils, and other debris. Over time, these can accumulate and create blockages that interfere with the delicate microphones and receivers.

Clogged or blocked hearing aids lead to:

Reduced Sound Quality. Muffled sounds, crackling, or intermittent audio sounds.
Decreased Performance. Your hearing aids might not seem as powerful or clear as they once were.
Increased Repair Needs. Built-up debris can cause internal damage, leading to repairs.
Shorter Lifespan. Neglecting cleaning can significantly shorten the overall life of your devices.
Discomfort. Debris on earmolds or domes can irritate your ear.

The good news is that most of these issues are easily preventable with a simple,
consistent cleaning your hearing aids routine.

Regular Weekly Cleaning at Home

Consistency is key when it comes to hearing aid cleaning.

Wash Your Hands: Always start with clean dry hands to avoid transferring more dirt or oils onto your devices.
Visual Inspection: Hold your hearing aid up and visually inspect it for any visible earwax or debris.
Brush Away Debris: Use the small brush provided with your hearing aids (or a very soft, clean toothbrush) to gently brush away any wax or skin particles. Particularly brush the microphone ports, receiver (speaker) tip, and vent. Brush downwards to allow debris to fall away.
Wipe Gently: Use a soft, dry cloth, such as a microfiber cloth, to wipe down the entire surface of your hearing aid. For behind the ear style hearing aids make sure to wipe down the earmold or dome. If the dome has significant build up you can opt to replace the dome with a new one instead. For custom in the ear style devices gently wipe the device casing.

Important Do’s and Don’ts when cleaning your hearing aids:

DO – Store in a Dry Place. When not in use always store your hearing aids in their case, charger, or a designated drying kit.

DO – Charge your batteries. For rechargeable devices, leave them on the charger overnight each evening.

DO – Change your Batteries. If your device uses disposable batteries, make sure to change them regularly. Depending on your battery size and power of your prescriptions you may need to change your batteries every few days to weekly.
DO – Handle with Care. Always hold your hearing aids over a table to prevent damage if dropped.

DON’T – Use Alcohol or Solvents. These can damage the delicate components and casing of your hearing aids.
DON’T – Use Sharp Objects. Avoid using pins, needles or other sharp objects to clean ports, as you can easily damage the internal components.
DON’T Expose to Extreme Temperatures. Avoid leaving your hearing aids in direct sunlight, in a hot car, or in extremely cold conditions.
DON’T Perform Inconsistent Cleaning. Debris, oils, and wax build up over time which regular consistent cleaning prevents.

Get a Professional Deep Cleaning at San Francisco Hearing Center

At your regular check-up visits at San Francisco Hearing Center our team of Audiologists and hearing care professionals will more deeply clean your devices. We have specialized tools to clean stubborn build up and to more thoroughly dry them out if moisture is the problem. These services can give you peace of mind while keeping your devices sounding brilliant. By spending a few minutes each week cleaning your hearing aids, you’ll ensure they continue to provide you with the best possible hearing experience. If you ever have questions or need assistance with cleaning or maintenance, please don’t hesitate to contact us at San Francisco Hearing Center. We’re always ready to help you hear your best.

Did you know?

If you purchased your hearing aids from San Francisco Hearing Center, there is no additional charge to get your hearing aids cleaned by a member of our team. To schedule an appointment call 415-346-6886 or book online.

The post A Guide to Cleaning Your Hearing Aids appeared first on San Francisco Hearing Center.

How to Care for Your Hearing Aids

SFHC — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 00:55:14 +0000

Hearing aids are powerful devices that improve your life on a daily basis. However, they are also very delicate items, which is why you need to know how to care for your hearing aids. After all, a hearing aid that isn’t in perfect condition can only ever provide limited service.

Here as Audiological Services of San Francisco, our audiologists aren’t only committed to identifying and treating your hearing loss. They are equally dedicated to ensuring you get to enjoy the benefits for years to come. Proper hearing aid care is essential to your device’s performance and here’s what you need to know.

Understand your hearing aid

No two people have the same hearing profile, which is why there is a huge range of hearing aids on the market. Behind-the-ear, in-the-ear and in-the-canal are the three main types. However, these can be broken down into subcategories while there are also subtle changes between brands and models. Getting to know yours is crucial.

While the audiologist can talk you through the main features at the hearing aid fitting appointment, you should still take some time to read up on the device. Read the manual and you’ll soon have a far greater knowledge of how to keep your device in better health. Perfect.

Keep them dry

Moisture exposure will always cause problems for the hearing aids, even when they are promoted as being water resistant, which is why you must take the necessary steps to avoid those issues. The following five tips will serve you well;

Take them off when showering or swimming.
Try to keep them covered if caught in heavy rain.
Store hearing aids in a container at night.
Take extra care when using hoses and household items.
Dry with a towel if they ever get wet.

Getting water inside the casing or amplification system will have a negative impact, but avoid drying them with hairdryers and similar tools as the heat can cause problems. Be sure to avoid getting hairspray and other materials in the device too and you won’t go far wrong.

Keep them clean

Aside from making the devices look and feel a little icky, an accumulation of dirt and debris can damage the performance of your hearing aids. Earwax is the biggest culprit of all, not least because it’s impossible to avoid contact.

Still, you can make a huge impact by cleaning them with a cotton swab at the end of each day. On a related note, replacing the wax filter on a regular basis should prevent any wax from reaching the internal parts of the device. You’d be amazed at how quickly damage occurs once the wax infiltrates these areas.

Change the batteries on a regular basis
When you encounter problems with your hearing aid devices, it’s quite likely that the batteries will be the source of those troubles. As such, this should always be one of the first items that you troubleshoot. Symptoms of battery faults include;

No power.
Power cuts out.
Volume changes without warning.
Volume drops.
The hearing aid makes unfamiliar noises.

Check that the battery is inserted properly and test that the door shuts without obstruction. If those issues are fine, try replacing the battery. If you use the devices for several hours at a time, you may need to do this every few days.

Take care when handling them

One of the main reasons that hearing aids are so delicate is due to their size. Whether cleaning them, changing the settings or placing them in overnight storage, it only takes a little too much pressure to break them or move a part out of position. Even when this doesn’t harm the performance, it can make the devices uncomfortable to wear.

If you are likely to drop them due to unsteady hands, why not sit down at a table when making those changes? It’s always better to be safe than sorry and avoids the threat of potentially dropping the device on the floor. Of course, keeping them stored away safely at night aids the cause too.

Get them professionally tested

While giving daily care the attention it deserves certainly helps, you must not ignore the need to see an audiologist from time to time. This is the only way to be sure that you’ve spotted every issue. Besides, the audiologist may make a few minor modifications to suit your changing hearing profile.

Here at San Francisco Hearing Center, we provide those services while also showing you how to take your daily hearing aid care game to the next level. Call us today to book an appointment.

The post How to Care for Your Hearing Aids appeared first on San Francisco Hearing Center.