What Is the Best Way to Clean Hearing Aid Earpieces?

Regularly cleaning and caring for your hearing aid earpieces will help to extend their life span and keep them comfortable. It’s something that is inserted into your ear so it’s essential for you to make sure they’re hygienic. Keeping your hearing aids and earpieces in good working order requires some maintenance from both you and your audiologist. 

Read your manual and visit an audiologist regularly

Make sure you speak to your audiologist before you clean your hearing aids and earpieces on your own. You should also schedule regular visits with them, usually every six months to a year, for a checkup of the condition of your earpieces as sometimes a professional clean or replacement is needed instead of your cleaning at home. 

Some of the most common cleaning tools will include: 

• A soft, clean, dry cloth
• Wax removal brush
• Vent cleaner
• Wax pick
• Wire loop

You can also use things like: 

• Cleaning wipes, if they are safe for use with earpieces and hearing aids
• A soft-bristled child’s toothbrush as a wax removal brush 
• An alcohol-free cleaner can be used for cleaning the earpieces, but you need to make sure you use one that is suited. 

Be Careful

Your earpieces can be delicate; therefore, you need to be careful when you are handling them, and cleaning them, this way you can avoid accidental damages and the need for replacement. If you are unsure about how to clean them properly, make sure you speak to your audiologist.

There are a few general tips to follow though: 

• When cleaning your earpieces make sure you keep them away from your hearing aids. Water and other liquids can damage the device.
• Never use chemicals that are not made for use with hearing aids. 
• Be careful not to damage or disfigure the earpieces. 

How often you should clean your earpieces?

Some of the cleanings should be performed daily, however, some can be done on a weekly basis. 

Daily 

Each morning is the perfect time to clean your earpieces because wax build-up has had time to dry and makes it easier to remove. You should gently remove any wax or debris, wipe it down with a cloth or wipe and check for any damages.

Weekly 

Around once a week, you should spend a little more time to inspect them and give them a good throughout clean. Remove any stubborn debris insect the earpieces for any damages or if they still fit correctly, and check ad install new clear tubing if it is needed. Have a look below a step by step to follow each week: 

Steps to clean your earpiece:

• Remove the earpiece from the hearing aid by pulling the tubing away from the plastic hook on the hearing aids. Try your best not to pull the tubing from the mold. 
• Place your hearing aids in a safe place while you are cleaning your earpieces to prevent damages or loss. 
• Wash them in warm, soapy water: Make sure you use soap that is used for your face and not things like washing-up liquid. These are much safer for your earpieces and will stop the risk of them been damaged. Let them soak for ten minutes to start, then wash the mold using a nailbrush to remove stubborn wax or debris. 
• If there is anything like debris or wax blocking the tube this needs to be removed using a wax-removing tool or with the very careful use of a pin. 
• Once this is done you can rinse the earpieces with clean water, run the water through the earpiece and the tube to make sure any debris or soap are removed. 
• You then need to dry the mold thoroughly: Make sure you clear any water before you use them again. To remove any water droplets either blow down the tube or tap it or use an earmold air blower. 
• You then need to leave the earpiece to dry overnight. 
• Once you are happy that the earpiece is completely dry it can be reconnected back to your hearing aids. Always make sure the curve of the earpiece matches the curve of your hearing aid. 

As well as complete to above you should also make sure you: 

Wipe your hearing aids down with a cloth, and never let them near water. If the tubing goes hard, which is usually around four to six months, it is essential that you replace the tubing. It can be replaced by you or by your audiologist in the hearing department. 

If you want to learn more about cleaning your earpieces or about The Hearing Clinic at Woodlake and learn more by calling today at (612) 246-4868.