Daily Hearing Aid Care | UCSF EARS
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Daily Hearing Aid Care

A simple routine to keep sound clear, reduce avoidable repairs, and help your hearing aids work reliably — plus a clinic-safe troubleshooting checklist for when something sounds “off.”

Clinician-edited What’s this? 12 min read Updated February 2026

On this page

What this page is for

  • Keep sound clear by reducing two common issues: earwax and moisture.[1][2]
  • Fix common problems fast (muffled sound, no sound, whistling) with a safe checklist before you assume the device “broke.”[2]
  • Handle safety moments correctly — especially button/coin battery ingestion risk in homes with kids or pets.[4][5]

Using over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids? This routine still applies, but your user guide may have model-specific steps. If something isn’t working after these checks, use your device’s support line or contact a hearing care professional.[2]

When to use the Emergency guide

  • Sudden change or loss of hearing (hours to ~3 days), especially with new tinnitus, fullness, or dizziness.
  • Severe vertigo/dizziness with a new hearing change.
  • New neurologic symptoms (for example: facial weakness/numbness, trouble speaking, new one-sided weakness, severe headache).
  • Ear drainage plus fever, severe pain, or feeling very ill.
  • If you think a child or pet may have swallowed a button/coin battery (including “hearing aid” batteries), or placed one in the nose or ear.
Go to Emergency guide

Many everyday hearing-aid problems come from two very normal things: moisture and earwax. A simple routine helps reduce muffled sound, dropouts, and unnecessary repairs.[1][2]

Battery safety (homes with kids or pets)

Disposable hearing aid batteries are button/coin batteries. If swallowed, or placed in the nose or ear, they can cause severe internal injury. If you suspect an exposure, seek emergency care immediately and call:

  • National Battery Ingestion Hotline: 800-498-8666[5]
  • Poison Help: 800-222-1222[5]

Some guidance recommends giving honey for certain children 12+ months while traveling to the ER, if a button battery may have been swallowed — but do not delay ER care, and never give honey to infants under 12 months.[4][5]

Safety: Emergency guide

Try this first: the 5-minute nightly routine

Do these steps in order

  1. Wipe the hearing aid with a dry, soft cloth.[1]
  2. Brush microphone openings with the provided tool (gentle — no pins/toothpicks).[2]
  3. Check for wax (wax guard / filter or receiver opening). Replace the filter if it looks blocked, or if sound has been muffled lately.[3]
  4. Dry + store:
    • Disposable batteries: open the battery door overnight to let moisture escape (if your model uses a door).[8]
    • Rechargeable: wipe and let the device air-dry for a few minutes before docking. If it’s very damp, let it dry fully before charging.[2]
    • Store in a dry case away from humidity and pets.[1][8]
  5. Quick listening check the next morning before you leave the house (“Does it sound normal today?”).[2]

Know the parts that usually cause trouble

  • Microphones (tiny openings): can clog with lint, makeup, or debris.
  • Receiver / speaker: sits near the ear canal and easily collects wax.
  • Wax guard / filter: designed to block wax before it reaches the receiver; it needs replacement sometimes.[3]
  • Dome / earmold: a loose or cracked fit can cause feedback (whistling).

Daily care

Morning (30 seconds)

  • Listen for changes: muffled sound or dropouts can suggest wax, moisture, or a loose connection.[2]
  • Check the fit: a loose dome/earmold seal can cause feedback (whistling).[2]
  • Keep them away from water + sprays: remove hearing aids before showering or swimming; avoid hair spray or cosmetics getting into microphone ports.[1][8]

Evening

  • Clean gently with a dry cloth and brush. Avoid sharp objects. If you use wipes, use products designed for hearing devices and avoid getting liquid into openings.[2][8]
  • Dry overnight, especially if humidity or sweat is a factor. Some manufacturers recommend a device-safe drying system for moisture-related issues.[8]
  • Charging safety: keep chargers stable on a hard surface. If a rechargeable device or charger becomes unusually hot, swollen, cracked, or smells “chemical,” stop using it and contact your clinic/manufacturer. Lithium-ion batteries should not go in household trash.[6][7]

Weekly (or as needed)

  • Replace wax guards / filters when sound becomes muffled or the filter looks blocked. If you are unsure which filter to use, contact your hearing care professional.[3]
  • Inspect domes/tubing for cracks or stiffness. A cracked dome can cause feedback and discomfort.
  • Clean earmolds only as instructed by your clinic (some can be washed, others should not).
  • Check microphone ports for lint or debris.

Moisture management

Moisture can come from humidity, sweat, rain, or storage in steamy spaces (like bathrooms). Keeping devices dry is a consistent theme in hearing care guidance.[1][2][8]

  • Remove devices before showering or swimming unless your clinician has advised otherwise.[1][8]
  • After exercise, wipe devices and let them dry fully.[2]
  • Avoid hot cars, direct sun, and high-heat drying methods (hair dryers can damage electronics).[1][8]

If your hearing aids got wet

  1. Remove them and turn them off (or open the battery door if applicable).
  2. Wipe gently with a dry cloth.
  3. Air-dry in a dry case. Avoid heat and avoid canned/compressed air into device openings.[1]
  4. Rechargeable: do not place on the charger until the device is completely dry.
  5. If they won’t turn on the next day, or sound is distorted, contact your clinic.

Common mistakes that cause “mystery problems”

Avoid these (they cause many avoidable repairs)

  • Water + electronics: do not rinse hearing aids under a faucet. Remove before bathing/swimming.[1][8]
  • Alcohol/solvents/household cleaners: alcohol, solvents, and general cleaning agents may damage devices. Use products recommended by your clinic or designed for hearing devices.[8]
  • Canned/compressed air into openings: can push debris deeper or damage delicate screens.
  • Sharp tools: pins/toothpicks can tear microphone screens.
  • Leaving them “out” around pets: hearing aids are a common chew target — store them in a case.[8]

Troubleshooting: the clinic-safe checklist

This is built for real life: you have 2 minutes, you want your sound back, and you want to avoid making things worse. Start with the simplest checks first.[2]

Problem Try this (in order) If it still doesn’t work
No sound
  1. Confirm it’s powered on / correct program / volume not muted.
  2. Recharge fully or replace the battery.[2]
  3. Check for wax blockage (wax guard/filter, dome, receiver opening). Replace the filter if blocked.[3]
  4. Confirm the dome/receiver is fully seated and not loose.
 Try the other ear/device (if you have one) to compare. If still no sound after the steps above, contact your clinic.
Muffled / “underwater”
  1. Replace the wax guard/filter (a common fix).[3]
  2. Brush microphone ports gently; wipe the device.
  3. Check the dome/earmold for wax buildup or collapse.
  4. Dry overnight in a drying case if moisture is a recurring issue (ask your clinic what’s safe for your model).[8]
 If muffling persists, your clinic can check the receiver/tubing and your ear canal (wax).
Intermittent / cutting out
  1. Recharge fully / replace the battery.[2]
  2. Dry overnight (sweat/humidity is a common trigger).[1][2]
  3. Check for debris in microphone ports and around contacts.
  4. If Bluetooth streaming cuts out, restart the phone and the hearing aids, then test without streaming to see if it’s a connection issue.
 If it continues, contact your clinic (could be receiver, microphone, or contact issue).
Whistling / feedback
  1. Reseat the dome/earmold (common fix).[2]
  2. Check for earwax (wax can change the seal).[2]
  3. Replace cracked domes/tubing if present.
  4. Make sure a hat/mask strap/hair isn’t pushing it out.
 Persistent new feedback can mean the fit needs adjusting or your hearing has changed — schedule a clinic visit.[2]
Itching / soreness
  1. Take a short break and check for redness or sores.
  2. Confirm the dome/earmold isn’t torn, stiff, or sitting oddly.
  3. Keep devices clean and dry; moisture can worsen irritation.[2]
 If you see skin breakdown, significant pain, drainage, fever, or a spreading rash, contact your clinic promptly.

When to call your clinic (and when it’s urgent)

Contact your hearing care team if you notice:

  • Persistent muffled sound after cleaning and wax-guard replacement
  • New pain, itching, skin breakdown, sores, or a rash where the device touches skin
  • Sudden feedback that wasn’t present before
  • Charging failures, overheating, swelling, or corrosion
  • A missing dome/ear tip, or you think a piece may be stuck in the ear canal (do not try to fish it out with tools)
  • New ear drainage (especially if you’ve had chronic drainage — ear drainage can also damage hearing aids over time)[1]

Urgent safety: don’t wait on these

If you have a sudden change in hearing (hours to a few days), severe new dizziness, ear drainage with fever, new facial weakness/numbness, or other concerning neurologic symptoms, seek urgent evaluation. Use our safety guide for “what to do right now.”

Go to Safety guide

The bottom line

Daily gentle cleaning + moisture control helps prevent many common problems.[1][2] When something changes, use the troubleshooting checklist first — and if there’s pain, drainage, fever, overheating, or a sudden hearing change, get help early.

Jump to troubleshooting Back to Devices hub
References

References support safety-critical and clinically important statements. This page is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice. Device-specific steps can vary by brand/model — follow your user guide and your clinic’s instructions.

  1. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Hearing Aids. (General care: keep devices clean/dry; avoid heat; avoid sprays; keep away from children/pets; drainage can damage hearing aids.) https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-aids
  2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Daily Care and Troubleshooting Tips for Hearing Aids (Audiology Information Series, 2022). https://www.asha.org/siteassets/ais/ais-hearing-aids-troubleshooting.pdf
  3. Oticon (manufacturer example). How to replace the wax filter on your hearing aids. (Wax filters/guards vary; use the correct type and contact your hearing care professional if unsure.) https://www.oticon.com/support/care-and-cleaning/basic-hearing-aid-use/how-to-replace-wax-filter-on-hearing-aids
  4. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Button Cell and Coin Battery Information Center. (Emergency guidance and “honey” caveats for certain children; do not delay ER care.) https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Button-Cell-Coin-Battery-Information-Center
  5. National Capital Poison Center (Poison.org). Button Battery Ingestion. (Hotline numbers and urgent steps.) https://www.poison.org/battery
  6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Used Lithium-Ion Batteries. (Disposal and recycling safety.) https://www.epa.gov/recycle/used-lithium-ion-batteries
  7. U.S. Fire Administration (USFA/FEMA). Battery Fire Safety. (Warning signs like odor/heat/shape change; disposal cautions.) https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/prevent-fires/batteries/
  8. PhonakPro (manufacturer example). Care and cleaning of your hearing systems. (Examples of common manufacturer cautions re: moisture, heat, solvents/cleaning agents, and use of device-safe drying systems.) https://www.phonakpro.com/content/dam/phonakpro/gc_hq/en/products_solutions/other_products/documents/care_cleaning_of_your_hearing_system.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I change wax guards?

There’s no single schedule for everyone. Many people change them when sound becomes muffled or the guard looks dirty. Some manufacturers suggest a routine interval, but “blocked” is the best reason to change it. If you’re unsure which filter to use, ask your hearing care professional.[3]

Why do my hearing aids whistle sometimes?

Common causes include earwax buildup, a loose dome/earmold seal, or a device that’s not fully seated. Cleaning and reseating often help. If it’s new and persistent, your clinic can recheck fit and settings.[2]

Can I use my hearing aids during exercise?

Many people do. If sweat is an issue, wipe devices afterward and let them dry. For repeated moisture problems, ask your clinic about protective options and maintenance strategies.[1][2]

Is it okay to clean hearing aids with alcohol wipes?

Often no for the hearing aid itself unless your clinic or the manufacturer says it’s safe for your model. Alcohol, solvents, and general cleaning agents may damage devices, and any liquid that gets into openings can cause problems. Ask your clinic what to use for your device, especially if you want a disinfecting wipe (for example, after an illness).[8]