01
Clean, dry hands
Remove your hearing aids before applying face cream, hairspray, sunscreen, or fragrance. Wash and fully dry your hands before handling the devices.
The patient handbook
Keep themclean. Keepthem clear.
Your hearing aids work in a demanding place: warm skin, daily moisture, hair products, and earwax. This guide shows you what to do every night, what to check when the sound changes, and when to stop troubleshooting and call us.
Daily wipe + inspect
Model-specific parts + videos
Doctor-led support
Your care kit
2-minute routine. Clean hands, a dry cloth, a soft surface, and the parts made for your exact model.
Every night
Your two-minute
care routine.
Do this when you take your hearing aids off, while any wax or moisture is still easy to see. Work over a clean towel or other soft surface so a dropped device is protected.
02
Wipe the exterior
Use a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Wipe the body, earpiece, wire, and any visible charging contacts. Do not soak or spray the device.
03
Inspect the openings
Look at the dome or earmold, wax filter, microphone ports, and vent. Use the supplied brush gently—never a pin, needle, or toothpick.
04
Charge or dry
Seat rechargeable aids fully in their charger. For disposable-battery models, turn them off and follow the storage instructions for your model.
The safest default: dry cloth, gentle brush, and the exact replacement parts supplied for your model. If your manufacturer instructions differ, follow those instructions—or call us before experimenting.
Know what you wear
Different styles.
Different care.
A receiver-in-canal hearing aid has a case behind the ear and a speaker in the ear canal. A custom hearing aid places more of the electronics inside the ear. The cleaning priorities are not identical.
Receiver-in-canal
Focus on the dome or custom earpiece, wax filter, microphone ports, thin receiver wire, and charging contacts.
- Do not sharply bend or pull the receiver wire.
- Change only compatible domes and wax filters.
- Make sure the earpiece is fully attached before wearing.
Custom in-the-ear
Focus on the sound outlet, wax filter, microphone openings, removal line, vent, shell, and charger contacts if rechargeable.
- Never immerse the shell; it contains electronics.
- Use the removal line or edge—not a battery door—to remove it.
- Stop if a tool meets resistance in a vent or opening.
Not sure which model or filter you have? Bring the hearing aid or charger to the office, or send us a clear photo. Using the wrong dome, filter, receiver, or charger insert can create a fit or performance problem.
Power + moisture
Charge safely.
Keep them dry.
Rechargeable and disposable-battery devices need different handling. Both should stay away from excess heat, liquid, steam, and unapproved charging equipment.
Build a reliable charging station
- 1Use the supplied charger and power accessories. The FDA advises using manufacturer-provided charging equipment to reduce overheating risk.
- 2Keep the wells and contacts clean. Wipe visible debris with a dry cloth after disconnecting the charger from power.
- 3Seat each aid completely. Confirm that the model-specific indicator lights show charging before walking away.
- 4Choose a cool, stable location. Avoid bathrooms, windowsills, radiators, soft bedding, and hot cars.
- 5Call if a device or charger becomes unusually hot. Stop using equipment that smells burnt, swells, cracks, or repeatedly fails to charge.
Protect the battery door
Turn the hearing aid off when not in use. Replace dead batteries promptly, keep batteries away from children and pets, and do not force a door that will not close—the battery may be upside down or the wrong size.
Dry—never heat
Remove the hearing aids from the moisture, turn them off if appropriate for your model, wipe them dry, and use an approved drying system. Never use a hair dryer, microwave, oven, radiator, or direct sunlight. Call us after submersion or if sound does not return to normal.
The parts patients replace
Filters, domes
and chargers.
Most sudden “device failures” begin with a blocked sound path or incomplete charge. Check these items before assuming the hearing aid needs repair.
Wax filters
The small filter protects the receiver or sound outlet. Replace it when clogged, when sound is weak or unusual, or on the schedule for your model. Use the exact filter type your audiologist supplied.
Domes + earpieces
Wipe the surface daily and replace a dome that is wax-filled, split, stretched, hardened, loose, or discolored. Never reuse a disposable dome that has detached from the hearing aid.
Charger + contacts
Keep charger wells, inserts, and visible contacts free of debris. Disconnect power before cleaning the charger and use only the method approved for your model.
Wipe + inspect
Exterior, earpiece, sound outlet, microphone ports, contacts, and charger seating.
Check your kit
Confirm that you have the correct filters, domes, brush, drying supplies, and charging cable.
Replace parts
Change compatible filters and domes when clogged, damaged, loose, or on your model's schedule.
Professional service
Deep cleaning, receiver and microphone checks, physical-fit review, and programming when indicated.
Before you call
A five-minute
troubleshooting path.
Work slowly and change one thing at a time. That tells you what solved the problem—and prevents accidental damage from over-cleaning or using the wrong part.
Weak or muffled sound
Most common- Confirm the hearing aid is on and adequately charged or has a fresh battery.
- Inspect the dome, earmold, sound outlet, and wax filter for blockage.
- Brush microphone openings gently with a clean, dry brush.
- Replace only the compatible wax filter or dome you were shown how to use.
- If sound stays weak, call the practice for a receiver and device check.
No sound at all
Power + blockage- Check the power state, battery door, or charging indicators.
- Make sure the device is not muted or in airplane mode.
- Inspect the wax filter and sound outlet.
- Restart the device using the instructions for your model.
- Do not factory-reset or unpair everything unless a model-specific guide directs you.
Whistling or feedback
Fit + seal- Remove and carefully reseat the hearing aid.
- Check that the dome or earmold is fully attached and not split or loose.
- Move hats, hair, scarves, or a phone away from the microphones.
- Persistent feedback may reflect a fit issue, wax in the ear, or a programming need—call rather than turning the volume down indefinitely.
Will not charge
Charger check- Confirm the outlet, cable, adapter, and charger are connected.
- Remove debris from dry charging wells and contacts.
- Reseat each aid and watch for the expected indicator light.
- Use the supplied charging accessories, not an unverified substitute.
- Open your brand's charging video or call if lights indicate an error.
Intermittent or distorted
Moisture + parts- Check for moisture, a loose dome, damaged receiver wire, or dirty contacts.
- Dry the device using an approved system; do not apply heat.
- Note whether the issue happens with streaming only or with all sound.
- Call if the issue repeats—intermittency is easier to diagnose before the device fails completely.
Phone or app disconnected
Connection- Confirm Bluetooth is on and the phone is not connected to another audio device.
- Restart the phone and hearing aids.
- Open the manufacturer app and follow its connection status prompts.
- Use the model-specific video library before deleting pairings or app data.
See the exact steps
Choose your brand.
Watch the guide.
Your site already includes more than 150 manufacturer and model-specific videos. Start with the care video below, then use the complete library for charging, filters, domes, insertion, apps, Bluetooth, and accessories.
Beyond the bathroom counter
Travel prepared.
Avoid preventable damage.
A compact care kit prevents a small maintenance issue from becoming a lost day of hearing—especially away from home.
Pack this care kit
- Hard protective case labeled with your phone number
- Soft, dry cloth and the correct cleaning brush
- Compatible wax filters and domes
- Manufacturer charger, cable, and power adapter
- Spare batteries for disposable-battery models
- Approved drying system when traveling in heat or humidity
- Your model name, serial numbers, and the Pinnacle phone number
Never do this
- Leave hearing aids loose in a pocket, purse, tissue, or restaurant napkin
- Expose them to shower spray, swimming, steam rooms, or heavy rain
- Store them in a parked car, on a radiator, or in direct sun
- Use a hair dryer, microwave, oven, compressed air, pin, or household solvent
- Swap a dome, filter, receiver, or charger part unless it is compatible
- Let pets or children access devices or button batteries
- Keep wearing a device that is painful, damaged, or unusually hot
Clinical sources + device guidance
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Hearing Aids
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: How to Get and Care for Hearing Aids
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Safe Medical Device Charging
- Oticon: Model-Specific Hearing Aid Cleaning Guidance
- Phonak: Rechargeable Audéo Care and Maintenance
- ReSound: Maintenance and Troubleshooting
- Signia: Hearing Aid Maintenance
- Starkey: Hearing Aid Use and Care
- Unitron: Hearing Aid Use and Maintenance
- Widex: Hearing Aid Maintenance
- Rexton: Hearing Aid Support and Cleaning Videos
- hear.com: Horizon Hearing Aid Cleaning and Maintenance Guide
Patient questions
Quick answers.
No guesswork.
General care is useful; the instructions for your exact model are decisive. When in doubt, use the video library or call before forcing a part.
How often should I clean my hearing aids?
Wipe the exterior every night and inspect the sound outlet, dome or earmold, microphone openings, and charging contacts. Replace components according to their condition and the instructions for your exact model.
Can I use alcohol, water, or cleaning wipes?
Do not use water, household cleaners, solvents, or alcohol unless the manufacturer instructions for your exact device specifically permit a product. A soft, dry cloth is the safest default. Never immerse a hearing aid or custom earpiece that contains electronics.
How do I know the wax filter is clogged?
Weak, muffled, distorted, intermittent, or absent sound can be caused by a blocked filter. Compare its surface with a new filter, if available. Replace it only with the exact compatible type and stop if the tool does not fit easily.
Should I replace a dome on a fixed schedule?
Inspect domes regularly and replace them when wax-filled, split, stretched, hardened, discolored, loose, or on the schedule for your model. Domes are not universal; use the style and size chosen for your fitting.
What if the hearing aid gets wet?
Remove it from moisture, turn it off if appropriate for your model, wipe it dry, and place it in an approved drying system. Do not apply heat. Call after submersion, saltwater exposure, or if performance does not return to normal.
Why does it whistle when I put it in?
Reseat the device and check that the dome or earmold is fully attached and undamaged. Persistent feedback can reflect a physical-fit issue, a blocked sound path, wax in the ear, or the need for a programming adjustment.
Can I buy any replacement filter or dome online?
No. These components are model- and fitting-specific. The wrong part can affect sound, retention, comfort, and protection of the receiver. Use the packaging or part number supplied by your audiologist.
When should I bring the devices in?
Call when cleaning and charging do not restore normal sound, when a receiver wire or shell is damaged, when feedback persists, or when the device is intermittent. Stop wearing it and call promptly if it is painful, unusually hot, or has a loose piece.
When the checklist is not enough
Bring us the problem.
Leave with a plan.
We can inspect the hearing aids, identify the compatible parts, clean and test the devices, review physical fit, and determine whether the next step is maintenance, repair, or an adjustment.