As you might know, hearing aids should be kept away from water to avoid damage, like many other electronic devices in this day and age. Whether you accidentally dropped your hearing aids into the sink or took them into the shower, it can be an expensive mistake. However, don’t panic—if your hearing aids got wet, there are several options to get them back into working shape!

Steps to take if your hearing aids got wet

Turn off your hearing aids

It’s important to switch off your hearing aids immediately, rather than wait to see if they’ll come back on. You’ll want to leave them off until you’ve dried them completely.

Dry off your hearing aids 

Wash and dry your hands, and dry your hearing aids with a soft, clean cloth. Make sure you get in the battery compartment and dry all the crevices of the hearing aid to ensure there is no water left on the surface for you to wipe off.

Remove the battery

You should remove the battery immediately and dry out the battery compartment, leaving it open to air out. If your batteries are zinc-air batteries, you’ll want to discard them, as they’ll be prone to corrosion after being exposed to water. Leaving this type of battery in can damage your hearing aid’s battery compartment. If they are a rechargeable battery, dry them off and leave them out. 

Gently shake your hearing aids

With the battery compartment open, shake your hearing aids to remove all possible water. This can help dislodge any water that might be sitting inside, but it’s important to shake them gently so as not to damage them.

Use a hearing aid dehumidifier 

Using your dehumidifier, place your hearing aid and rechargeable battery in the dehumidifier. The battery compartment should be open and the hearing aids should still be switched off. Keep your hearing aids in the dehumidifier for 24 hours (this usually equates to 3 or 4 cycles). Once the 24 hours is up, have a new battery ready to place in your hearing aids to see if it will work.

Set your hearing aid out to dry 

This will take longer than with a dehumidifier, but if you do not have one, this will be the best way to dry your hearing aids. Place them on a clean newspaper or towel in a warm, dry place. This shouldn’t be a spot that will get too warm. The compartment should remain open for this; setting your hearing aids out to dry if they got wet can take up to two days to completely dry. 

Use a hair dryer (on cool)

If you don’t have a hearing aid dryer or dehumidifier, you can use a hairdryer on low if it has a cool air setting to dry your hearing aids. Do not use a hair dryer if it only will blow warm or hot air, as heat can damage your hearing aids even more.

If the water your hearing aid was exposed to was salty or dirty, it’s important to rinse it immediately with clean water before moving on to drying it, as dirt and salt can damage your hearing aids. Do not rinse it if it wasn’t fully submerged; instead, use a soft cloth with clean water to wipe it off. 

For further advice on if you accidentally got your hearing aids wet—or any other questions you may have—you can set up a free consultation with a Lexie Expert.