Summertime has arrived!

Summertime is officially here, and so are some of our not-so-favorite Summertime pains – heat, humidity, dust, and dirt. As much as we love endless sunshine during the Summer months, one of the biggest challenges we hear from our patients all season is that their hearing aids aren’t working as they should.

With extra moisture in the air and debris, like pollen, flying around, your hearing aids can take a beating during the Summer, causing them to not function properly.

Never fear! Here are a few tips for taking the best care of your hearing aids and the equally important batteries that power them.

Clean your devices more often than usual

While it’s important to clean your devices regularly year-round, we recommend that our patients clean their hearing aids more often than normal during the summer months – once a day is usually good. 

You might remember when you brought your hearing aids home for the first time that your provider walked you through the proper cleaning technique, but in case you’ve forgotten, the process is actually quite simple.

Start by taking a close look at each hearing aid to look for a build-up of dirt, sweat, sunscreen, or other Summer-related debris. Then, wipe them down with a soft cloth to remove the wax and build-up that formed throughout the day. Be sure to check and wipe all the different parts of your device, including the tubes, receivers, and microphones. 

Keep your hearing aids (and batteries!) super dry

Just like any technology, your hearing aids aren’t built for excessive exposure to water, so it’s crucial that you keep them as dry as possible. 

If you’re going somewhere that they may get wet, bring a waterproof container to put them in and put them in your bag or another safe place. 

Another form of water that you may not think about is condensation from humidity. If you live in a particularly humid climate, we always recommend investing in a dehumidifier for your home to prevent the condensation buildup overnight. If you can’t avoid humidity during the day, you can carry a microfiber cloth with you and wipe your devices down periodically throughout the day.

As for your batteries, whether they’re in your device or still in the package, store your batteries in a cool, dry place with limited humidity. We also recommend keeping your extra batteries in the packaging or placing them in an airtight container to keep them safe, too. 

Be careful with Summer staples – sunscreen and bug spray

While we certainly don’t recommend against using sunscreen and bug spray this Summer (in fact, we would highly recommend them!), both sunscreen and bug spray can cause a lot of damage to your devices and cause a nasty buildup that can be hard to clean.

The simple fix? Apply your sunscreen and bug spray before you put in your hearing aids, and make sure both have a chance to completely dry on your skin before placing your devices in your ears. Easy as that! 

Maximize your battery life with some simple tips

A couple of months ago, we wrote a blog about hearing aid battery life and how to prolong the life of your devices’ batteries. Simple things like opening the battery door when you take your devices out for bed and storing batteries in a place with low humidity can go a long way in improving battery life.

Hearing aids are an amazing technology, but they do require careful attention and care to keep them functioning properly and keep the batteries lasting as long as possible. While we all enjoy a well-deserved Summer season, remember to keep an eye on your devices, and if you notice any issues or malfunctions, contact your local Beltone Tristate practice for professional cleaning or repair.

Did you know that Beltone Tristate also sells the most common hearing aid batteries conveniently on our website? Never run out of batteries again! Check out the online shop to get your next pack of batteries and keep your hearing aids working all Summer long.