You’ve got a lively summer planned. You’re certainly going to go to the beach and maybe go for a swim. You’ll do some day-to-day running and then maybe take in a ball game or two before heading home to up some delicious dinner. You’ll be busy! So it’s crucial that your hearing aids are ready.
Summer activities like these can be tough on your hearing aids, but these little useful devices can be protected without it halting your summer fun.
Obstacles of hearing aids in the summer
With hearing aids, each season will have unique obstacles. Climate and weather are the greatest challenges during the summer.
Summer-related challenges may include:
- Debris, sand and dirt: You’re active in the summer. But sand inside of your hearing aid, such as beach sand, can result in problems.
- Wind: A strong enough wind can tug and yank at your hearing aids. And if you’re in a particularly dry climate, wind can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aids.
- Moisture: During the summer, moisture is almost always a factor, whether from sweat, rain, swimming, or humidity. Moisture can be harmful to hearing aids so that can present a challenge.
For the most part, it’s pretty obvious why these issues are more common in the summer months: you tend to be outside more often. And you’re more likely to encounter a sudden rain storm or a strong wind when you’re outdoors so often.
How to keep your hearing aids in good working order all summer
Your hearing aids are manufactured to allow you to do more, to improve the quality of life. So throughout the summer, most people want to use their hearing aids as often as possible. This means taking a few extra steps to take care of the technology and ensure your hearing aids continue working.
Take actions to keep your hearing aids dry
Water will damage electronics and the more advanced the electronics, the worse the potential damage. Protect against moisture with these tips:
- When you’re performing an activity that will cause you to sweat, use a sweatband. Your hearing aids will stay nice and dry because moisture can’t reach them.
- Don’t bring your hearing aids into the water. Going for a swim? Nice! Just take out your hearing aids first. Of course, the majority of individuals already do this. So lingering moisture in your ears after you get out of the water is the real concern. Using a swim cap or earplugs when you’re swimming is a smart plan. This can help keep your ears (and thus your hearing aids) quite dry.
- Air dry your hearing aids while you sleep by opening the battery compartment. This will help counter damage caused by corrosion of the battery.
- Dry your ears thoroughly. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Keep a microfiber towel handy. In that manner, you can dry your hearing aids all through the day. In this way, you can avoid the accumulation of wetness.
Regularly clean your hearing aids
The growth of bacteria is fueled by moisture and heat. So you should also do a few things to make sure your hearing aids are remaining clean over the summer months. Here are some guidelines:
- Store your hearing aids in a place that’s dry and cool. Hearing aids, generally speaking, don’t handle direct sunlight very well. So don’t put them on your dashboard on a hot summer day. Alternatively, when you’re not wearing them, store your hearing aids in a cool, dry place.
- Watch out for the long-term build-up of debris. You can take a little time to get rid of any debris on your hearing aids while you sanitize them. Sooner or later, it’s most likely also a good idea to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
- Routinely sanitize your hearing aids. Specialized antibacterial wipes are available for this.
Be happy, remain active, hear well
Your hearing aids are made to help you all through your life, and that’s certainly true of the summer season. So whether you’re planning on swimming in the lake, hiking over a mountain, or going for a walk around the neighborhood, there’s a way to be sure your hearing aids remain dry and keep working.