When you get new hearing aids, part of the adjustment period that you'll go through is learning to care for them. You can greatly improve the lifespan of the hearing aids by keeping them either in your ears or in their case — this prevents them from being knocked to the floor and stepped on, which could occur if you leave them on the edge of the counter or table, for example. You'll also need to get familiar with cleaning them, which is important toward improving their longevity. Cleaning your hearing aids is something that you can do quickly every few times you remove them. Here are some tips to follow.

Wipe Them With A Cloth

One of the simplest ways to keep your new hearing aids clean is to wipe their exterior with a dry cloth. Through regular use, the hearing aids can get coated in ear wax, dried sweat, and other forms of grime. These substances are typically easy to remove by thoroughly rubbing each hearing aid with a cloth. The frequency that you need to wipe the hearing aids down depends on how clean your ears are and how much you sweat. If you exercise regularly and sweat heavily, for example, you may wish to perform this step after each workout.

Brush Away Any Debris

Occasionally, you'll finish wiping your hearing aids with a cloth and notice that wax or other debris is caked on and is difficult to remove. This can especially be the case if you haven't cleaned the hearing aids for a considerable amount of time. The simple way to treat such issues is to brush away the debris with a hearing aid cleaning tool. This simple tool is much like a toothbrush and is equipped with stiff bristles that can lift stubborn and sticky residue on the surfaces of the hearing aids.

Pick Away Stubborn Areas

Even after brushing the exterior of your hearing aids, some clingy bits may remain. For example, hardened and sticky ear wax may be stuck in a certain area. Hearing aid cleaning tools often have a brush end and a poker end. This precise tool is the perfect accessory for picking away any difficult areas that you weren't able to previously clean. If you're having trouble identifying the areas that need attention, using a light and a magnifier in cooperation with the cleaning tool can help you successfully clean the hearing aids.

For more information, contact a company like Jacobs Clinical Diagnostics.