How to clean hearing aids: a daily and weekly routine

Knowing how to clean hearing aids properly keeps them sounding clear, whistling less and lasting for years. Earwax, sweat and humidity do the most damage, especially in hot, humid weather. This guide covers what to do every evening and every week, what never to do, and how to troubleshoot before taking an aid in for repair. These steps are general habits; always follow the manual for your specific aid first.

How to clean hearing aids every evening: four steps, two minutes

• Remove and wipe the aid with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, including the body, ear tip and sound tube.
• Brush off wax from the speaker opening and ear tip with the small brush supplied, holding the aid face down so wax falls out rather than in.
• Open the battery door (on button-cell aids) so the aid airs out overnight.
• Store it in a drying box or a case with desiccant. Rechargeable aids go into their charger as instructed.

Drying boxes, desiccants, brushes and replacement filters are in hearing aid batteries and accessories.

Weekly jobs

• Check the wax filter, if your aid has one. A blocked filter is a common reason for weak sound; replace it with the correct type as the maker directs.
• Clean silicone ear tips: if the maker allows them to be removed, take them off, wash in warm water with a little mild soap, rinse, and let them dry completely before refitting. Never let water reach the body of the aid.
• Inspect the sound tube on behind-the-ear aids: replace it if it is yellowed, stiff, cracked or has water droplets inside.
• Wipe the battery contacts with a dry cloth if they look dirty.

Things never to do with a hearing aid

Ear care for hearing aid wearers

Hearing aid users often build up more earwax because the ear canal is covered for long periods. Wipe the outer ear with a damp cloth after bathing and avoid cotton buds deep in the canal, which push wax further in. The lighted tools in ear cleaning tools should only be used gently on the outer part. If wax is hard, or the ear hurts, itches for a long time or discharges, see an ear, nose and throat doctor to have it removed safely.

Whistling, weak or crackling sound: checks before a repair

• Whistling: the ear tip is the wrong size or not fully in, the volume is too high, or there is a lot of wax. Try another tip size and reinsert it snugly.
• Weak sound: the filter or tip is blocked with wax, or the battery is low. Brush, replace the filter, change the battery.
• Crackling or cutting out: moisture. Leave it in a drying box overnight and try again.
• No sound at all: check the battery size, direction and tab; see our hearing aid battery guide.

If it still fails after all these steps, take it to the seller or a service centre. Do not open the casing yourself.

Handling it well keeps it working longer

Put the aid in and take it out while sitting on a bed or over a table with a towel, so a drop does not break it. Hold the body, not the tube. Give your parent one fixed place to store it each night so it does not go missing, and use a clip or lanyard when they are out and about. If you are choosing a new aid, behind-the-ear models with large controls are usually easier to clean than mini ones; see the hearing aid finder.