What To Do If Your Hearing Aids Get Wet

A common question our hearing care experts are asked is what happens if their hearing aids get wet? While hearing aids are usually resistant to moisture like sweat and mist, being fully immersed in water can damage your hearing aid.

Hearing aids are small electronic devices. Like all electronics they are damaged by direct exposure to liquids. The microscopic impurities and ions in most liquids form a chain that connects two contact points in your electronic device. When you go to turn on your hearing aids, the ion chain will lead the electricity somewhere it isn’t supposed to, and that creates a power shortage. 

So remember to check your ears and take off your hearing aids before jumping in the water. If you happen to forget, here are five steps you can take if your hearing aids get wet.

1. Remove the hearing aid from the water as soon as possible. The less water exposure they receive, the better.

2. If your hearing aids have replaceable batteries, open the battery door and remove the battery. They can be recycled or thrown away. A wet battery can become corroded and cause rusting inside the hearing aid. 

3. Dry the hearing aid carefully with a towel. Try to get out as much water as possible.

4. Leave the hearing aid out to dry with the battery door open. You can place the hearing device in a hearing aid dryer if you own one. You can learn more about using a hearing aid dryer below.

5. If the hearing aid doesn’t work after being fully dried out, call your hearing healthcare professional to have the hearing aid sent out for repair. Most hearing aid warranties cover the cost of this repair for a few years after the date of purchase. If your hearing aid is out of its warranty period, a hearing aid repair charge will apply.

You can purchase a hearing aid dryer to help with these situations. It is a small case, in which you place your hearing aids. It absorbs moisture and prevents humidity damage from building. The dryer can be ideal if you live in a particularly humid climate or accidentally dunked your hearing aids in water recently.

Once you place your hearing aids in the dryer the first few minutes of the cycle, the UV-C light cleanses the hearing aid to reduce residue build-up. The dryer will then proceed to gently heat the hearing aid for a few hours to dry the device. The cycle is automatic and only requires you to click the start button once the hearing aids have been placed inside.

In addition to the above tips on things to do when your hearing aids get wet, there are also two things you should absolutely NOT do for any reason:

1. Never put your hearing aids in a microwave, oven or under any heating appliance. You may cause them to overheat or parts of the hearing aid could melt.

2. Don’t assume it is broken right away and throw them out. Make sure to dry them off and call a hearing healthcare professional if they are in need of repair. It can save you the cost of getting new hearing aids to replace them.