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How Do I Clean My Hearing Aid?
I wear a hearing aid in my left ear. It s an in the ear bud that is very inconspicuous. I ve had it for about 6 six months. Lately, I ve noticed it and my ear when I remove it at night, my fingers smell like a dank washcloth. I wipe it down daily with a clean, dry cloth and use the tools my audiologist gave me in order to clean out the 2 air channels. I m tempted to drop it in an alcohol bath, but I know this would probably kill it! Any suggestions?
posted on
Fri, 14 Mar 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 13 May 2020
Answered on
Fri, 15 May 2020
Last reviewed on
Hi,
Using hearing aid, usually plugs the ear canal and the smell you feel is because of wax accumulation at the tip of hearing aid.
You just need to clean it with dry cloth or if at all it gives you bed smell and want to clean with alchohol, don't bath it, but you may clean it with alchohol smeared (remember not wet) cloth.
As any liquid going in the device may damage the internal circuit of hearing aid. Further you may clean you ear canal after removing the hearing aid with ear buds soaked spirit or alchohol or simply warm saline water, here also remember dont clean too hard and don't use too much of liquids on buds.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr. HIMANSHU DHANAK
Using hearing aid, usually plugs the ear canal and the smell you feel is because of wax accumulation at the tip of hearing aid.
You just need to clean it with dry cloth or if at all it gives you bed smell and want to clean with alchohol, don't bath it, but you may clean it with alchohol smeared (remember not wet) cloth.
As any liquid going in the device may damage the internal circuit of hearing aid. Further you may clean you ear canal after removing the hearing aid with ear buds soaked spirit or alchohol or simply warm saline water, here also remember dont clean too hard and don't use too much of liquids on buds.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr. HIMANSHU DHANAK
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