HEARING
📅 AUDIOPTICA LUXSO BLOG · ⏱ 7 min read
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A hearing aid is a tiny computer that spends twelve to fourteen hours a day in a warm, damp place full of wax. In that environment it's no surprise that a device costing €1,500–3,000 can stop sounding right within months if nobody gives it two minutes a day. The good news: most of the faults we see in the clinic are avoidable with a simple routine, and a well-kept hearing aid easily lasts five or six years.
This guide covers how to clean your hearing aids, what to do about moisture and wax, how to look after batteries and rechargeables, what never to do, and when to bring them to our hearing centre in Dénia for a check – where we speak English.
The three enemies of a hearing aid: wax, moisture and knocks
Almost every fault comes down to one of these. Earwax blocks the speaker or tube, so the aid sounds weak or goes silent. Moisture (sweat, rain, the shower, humid coastal air) corrodes battery contacts and microphones. Knocks and drops crack casings and earmoulds and, above all, damage the receiver – the most delicate part. The whole care routine is about avoiding these three.
Daily routine: two minutes every evening
Do it at the same time each day, when you take the aids out before bed and the wax is still soft and comes away easily.
- Wipe them dry. Use a soft dry cloth or a hearing-aid wipe over the whole surface. Never water, alcohol or household cleaners.
- Brush the sound outlet and microphones. Use the little brush from your case, holding the aid upside down so wax falls out rather than in. The microphone ports are usually two small grilles on top.
- Check the wax filter. If you can see wax on the white grille of the speaker or earmould, change it. On most models a double-ended tool removes the old filter and fits the new one.
- Open the battery door (on battery models) and leave it open overnight: it saves battery and lets moisture escape.
- Store them in their case or dryer – never loose on the bedside table or in a pocket.
Moisture: on the coast, a dryer is not optional
In Dénia and across the Marina Alta the sea air is humid all year, and in summer sweat adds to it. Hearing aids pick up moisture every single day. Two solutions:
- Drying case with a desiccant tablet. The aids spend the night inside and the tablet absorbs moisture. When the tablet changes colour, replace it – it lasts one to two months.
- Electric dryer (with UV light). Plugs in, dries the aids in a few hours and disinfects them too. The most convenient option if you sweat a lot, do sport or live by the sea.
If an aid gets properly wet (heavy rain, pool, shower), don't switch it on: remove the battery, dry the outside with a cloth, leave it in the dryer for 24 hours and bring it in if it still isn't right. Don't put it in rice, and keep it away from hairdryers and radiators – heat damages the electronics.
Batteries and rechargeables
If your aids use batteries
- Hearing-aid batteries are zinc-air: they activate when you peel off the sticker. Wait a minute before fitting one so it takes in air and gives its full life.
- Store them at room temperature – never in the fridge or a hot car.
- When the aid warns of low battery, change it within a few hours; a dead battery left inside can leak.
- A battery usually lasts 5–10 days depending on size (10, 312, 13 or 675) and Bluetooth use. If it suddenly lasts half as long, moisture on the contacts is a likely cause – book a check.
If they are rechargeable
- Charge them every night, even if they aren't flat: lithium batteries have no memory effect, and what wears them out is being left empty for days.
- Keep the charger contacts clean (a dry cotton bud) and keep the charger away from damp.
- A full charge gives around 20–30 hours; heavy phone or TV streaming reduces that. Batteries lose capacity over the years and on many models can be replaced by the service centre.
- If you won't be using them for a while, store them half charged in the case, not in the charger.
Tubes, earmoulds and domes: the weekly jobs
Behind-the-ear aids with a thin tube or earmould: once a week detach the tube and clean it with the cleaning wire; the earmould can be washed in warm water with mild soap and dried completely (ideally overnight) before refitting. Tubes harden and yellow with time – replace them every 3–6 months.
RIC aids (receiver in the canal): change the silicone dome monthly or when it loses its shape; the receiver (the wire with the speaker) must never get wet. If the aid sounds weak and the filter is clean, the receiver may be blocked or damaged – we replace it in five minutes.
In-the-canal and invisible aids (ITC, CIC, IIC): because they sit inside the ear they collect more wax. Brush them every evening and change the filter more often (every 2–4 weeks). If you wear invisible hearing aids, professional wax checks matter even more.
What never to do
- Shower, bathe or swim with them in – including "water-resistant" models, which resist splashes but are not submersible.
- Apply hairspray, perfume, sunscreen or any spray before putting them in: the mist clogs the microphones. Product first, hearing aids after.
- Leave them in a hot car or near a heater.
- Clean them with alcohol, water or baby wipes.
- Poke sharp objects (toothpicks, pins) into the sound outlet to remove wax.
- Leave them within reach of small children or dogs: batteries are dangerous if swallowed, and dogs are drawn to the smell.
Your ears need care too
A hearing aid pushes wax inwards and reduces ventilation of the ear canal, so hearing-aid users get wax build-up more often. Don't use cotton buds – they compact the wax against the eardrum. A blocked feeling, persistent itching or an aid that whistles for no reason usually means wax: we check with the otoscope and tell you whether it needs removing. At every review we also clean your aids with professional ultrasonic equipment and check the earmoulds still fit well.
Signs your hearing aid needs a check
- It sounds weaker or distorted even after a new filter and battery.
- It whistles (feedback) when you put it in or bring your hand near, when it never used to.
- It cuts out intermittently or keeps losing the Bluetooth connection.
- The battery lasts far less than before.
- It rubs or hurts: the earmould may have warped or your ear canal may have changed.
- More than six months have passed since the last review, even if everything seems fine.
What we offer at Audioptica Luxso
- Regular reviews with professional cleaning, new filters, domes and tubes.
- Fit and programming checks, and a free follow-up hearing test to re-adjust the aids if your hearing has changed.
- Service for hearing aids bought elsewhere – including UK or German models.
- A five-minute demonstration of the cleaning routine for your specific model, in English.
Your hearing aids last as long as you look after them
Two minutes every evening and a review every six months: that's all it takes for your hearing aids to sound as good as day one for years. Book a free check and we'll clean and test them while you wait.
Visit us in Dénia
📍 Audioptica Luxso Dénia — Calle Diana, 35 · English spoken
📞 Hearing care: +34 685 082 459 · Opticians: +34 692 609 299
🕐 Mon 10:00–14:00 · Tue–Fri 10:00–14:00 and 17:00–20:00 · Sat 10:00–14:00