Maintenance & troubleshooting

Hearing aid maintenance is important for well-functioning and long-lasting hearing aids. Even though hearing aids are very durable and can withstand the stresses of daily use, hearing aid maintenance is necessary to make sure you’re getting the best sound quality and longevity out of your devices.

Care and maintenance

Daily

Remove your hearing aids when applying cosmetics, perfume, aftershave, hair spray and suntan lotion as they may get into the hearing aid and cause damage.
Clean your hearing aids using a soft cloth, tissue or proper cleaning tools to remove earwax, grease or moisture. Do not use water or solvents as these can damage the hearing aids.
Store your hearing aids in a cool, dry place when not in use and leave the battery pack open to preserve battery power.

Regularly

Use a damp cloth to clean the receiver tube and receiver dome.
Do not use a direct source of water when you’re cleaning the receiver tubes or the receiver domes.
Contact your hearing care professional for replacement components when they become stiff, brittle or discolored.

Other tips

Keep your hearing aid clean and dry:

Never immerse hearing aids in water or other liquids or wear while showering, swimming, in heavy rain or in a moist atmosphere such as a steam bath or sauna.
Leave wet hearing aids to dry with the battery out and the battery door open.
Put the hearing aid and battery in a sealed container together with a drying agent (dessicator) overnight. Don’t use the hearing aids until completely dry.
Don’t leave your hearing aids in or near direct heat or sunlight.
Avoid rough handling of hearing aids or dropping them on hard surfaces or floors.
Read the instructions for your hearing aids or contact your hearing care provider for additional hearing aid maintenance instructions.

Hearing aid troubleshooting

Despite proper care, you may still experience issues with your hearing aids. Troubleshoot some of the most common hearing aid problems.

Cause	Possible remedy
Device not turned on	Turn on device
Battery is dead	Replace battery
Battery improperly inserted	Reinsert battery properly
Blocked wax filter	Consult your hearing professional. Or, if you have been instructed to do so, change the wax filter
Broken microphone or microphone tube	Consult your hearing care professional

Cause	Possible remedy
Weak battery	Replace battery
Poor fitting microphone tube	Consult your hearing care professional
Hearing instrument is damaged	Consult your hearing care professional

Cause	Possible remedy
Hearing aid not properly inserted	Reinsert carefully
Microphone not properly seated	Reseat carefully
With telephone use	Review proper telephone use
Instrument settings not at optimum	Consult your hearing care professional

Cause	Possible remedy
Hearing aid not properly inserted	Reinsert carefully
Microphone not properly seated	Reseat carefully
Blocked wax filter	Consult your hearing professional. Or, if you have been instructed to do so, change the wax filter
Instrument settings not at optimum	Consult your hearing care professional
Excessive ear wax	Consult your physician
Change in hearing	Consult your hearing care professional

Still need help?

If these remedies don’t work for you or if you experience other issues that aren’t addressed here, contact your hearing care professional.