What Should You Do if Your Hearing Aid Gets Wet

Anyone who has lived through a few Fargo summers knows the sky here doesn’t always give much warning. You head out to run errands under full sun.

Twenty minutes later, a thunderstorm may be rolling across the flat prairie with nothing to slow it down. Sudden downpours aren’t the only concern.

Spring slush can soak everything, and humid July afternoons bring plenty of sweat. Around here, water has plenty of chances to reach your hearing aids.

When that happens, what you do during the first few minutes can affect what happens next. Knowing what not to do is just as important. You may instinctively grab a hair dryer or set your devices on a heat register.

Either choice can cause more trouble instead of helping. What you do right afterward can determine whether they dry normally or need professional repair.

How Water Can Damage Hearing Aids

Water can reach several parts of a hearing aid, and each one reacts differently. Moisture around the microphones may block sound before it enters the device.

If it gets farther inside, it can interfere with the receiver, battery contacts or charging points. Even a small amount can cause corrosion on metal parts, especially when the moisture sits there for hours.

Sweat and rain can also leave behind minerals or residue after the water itself dries. That buildup may affect electrical connections later, even if the device seemed fine at first.

Repeated exposure can gradually weaken seals and internal components as well. The damage is not always immediate, which is why a device may work normally one day and start cutting out or losing power later.

Common Situations Where Hearing Aids Get Wet

Water can reach your devices in ways that are easy to miss during a normal day. Some situations happen quickly, while others expose them to moisture little by little.

Common examples include:

• • Getting caught in the rain: A sudden downpour can soak devices before you have time to take them out.
  • Sweating during exercise: Moisture can collect around devices during a workout, walk or other physical activity.
  • Forgetting them before a shower: Morning routines make it easy to step under the water before remembering they’re still on.
  • Being splashed near water: Pools, lakes, sprinklers or even washing the car can send water toward your ears.
  • Leaving them in a humid bathroom: Steam from a shower can expose the devices to moisture even when they never touch water.
  • Handling them with wet hands: Water can transfer from your fingers when you adjust or remove them.

Noticing Moisture Problems in Your Hearing Aid

Static may appear during a conversation, sound might fade in and out or one side could suddenly seem quieter than the other. Rechargeable models might also have trouble making a steady connection with the charger.

Other clues are easier to see. Look for condensation in tubing, damp areas near the charging contacts or droplets around an earmold.

Buttons that respond differently or controls that stop working can point to trouble inside as well. Several problems appearing soon after the hearing aid gets wet give you more reason to suspect water rather than a setting that needs adjustment.

Safely Removing and Turning Off Your Device

When your hearing aids get wet, handle them gently and make sure your hands are dry before touching. This helps avoid introducing more moisture.

Turn off your devices right away. Open the battery compartment and remove the battery to prevent electrical problems caused by water.

Do not shake or tap the device, as this can push water deeper inside or harm delicate parts.

If you use custom earmolds or domes, remove them carefully and dry each part separately. Keeping all pieces clean and dry supports longer device life and better performance.

Safe Ways to Dry Out a Wet Hearing Aid

Once the outside is dry, the goal is to draw out any water that reached areas you can’t reach with a cloth. A hearing aid dehumidifier or drying container can do this without adding heat.

Place the device inside for the amount of time recommended for that dryer, which may mean leaving it there overnight. If you use a desiccant jar, make sure the drying material is still active and replace it when the instructions call for it.

Leave battery doors open on disposable-battery models while they dry. Domes and earmolds that can be removed should be dried separately, so trapped water isn’t sitting between connected parts.

Mistakes to Avoid When Drying a Wet Hearing Aid

A wet device needs time to dry, but trying to speed things up can cause additional damage. While you’re waiting, avoid these common mistakes:

• • Don’t use a hair dryer
  • Don’t put it in the oven or microwave
  • Don’t place it on a radiator or heat vent
  • Don’t put it in rice
  • Don’t turn it on to check it
  • Don’t charge it while it’s damp
  • Don’t shake it aggressively

Checking for Moisture or Signs of Damage After Drying

If your model has tubing, domes or removable parts, inspect those too. Cracks, loose pieces or corrosion around metal contacts can point to damage that drying alone will not fix.

Then test the device briefly in a quiet setting. Listen for weak sound, distortion, static or unexpected shutoffs. Rechargeable models should connect to the charger normally and hold power as expected.

If anything still seems off, stop using it and bring it to your hearing health professional rather than repeatedly turning it on to see if the problem clears.

Deciding When to Replace Batteries After Water Exposure

With disposable batteries, the type of water exposure makes a difference. A battery that was submerged or has visible residue around it shouldn’t go back into the device.

Salt water, sweat and chlorinated water can leave conductive material behind after they dry, which makes reuse a poor choice. Replace the battery and clean the battery compartment according to the manufacturer’s instructions before inserting the new one.

Rechargeable batteries require a different decision because they’re sealed inside the casing. Replacement isn’t automatic just because the hearing aid got wet.

A hearing health professional can check the battery’s condition and determine whether the exposure affected the cell itself.

Knowing When to Contact a Hearing Health Professional for Help

Sometimes a wet hearing aid dries out and works normally again. Other problems may stick around or return after the device has been used for a while.

Talk with your hearing health professional if the sound remains weak, controls stop responding or you see corrosion around the battery area.

Full submersion, salt water or another heavy exposure also deserves a closer inspection, even when the device seems to be working again.

A hearing professional has equipment to check parts you can’t safely reach at home. They can inspect the microphones, receiver and internal electronics for water damage that isn’t visible from the outside.

Depending on what they find, the device may need professional cleaning, a new component or repair by the manufacturer. That inspection can tell you whether it’s ready to use again or needs additional work.

Tips to Prevent Moisture from Damaging Your Device

Keeping moisture away from your device is easier when you plan for the places and activities where it is likely to get wet. A few precautions can help:

• • Carry a protective case: Keep one nearby so you have a dry place for your device if rain starts or conditions change.
  • Use a sweat cover: A cover can add a layer between the casing and perspiration during exercise or outdoor work.
  • Keep it away from sinks: Take it out before washing your face, doing your hair or getting ready near running water.
  • Store it outside the bathroom: Shower steam raises humidity, even when the device never comes into direct contact with water.
  • Check the weather before heading out: Knowing rain is expected gives you time to bring a case or other protection.

Keeping Your Hearing Aid Safe and Working Well

Sound that seems slightly weaker, static that comes and goes or a battery that drains faster than it used to.

Those small changes are easy to shrug off, but they’re often the earliest sign that water left its mark somewhere inside the device. Trusting what you notice and acting on it early usually means a simpler fix.

If your hearing aids took an unexpected soaking or just haven’t sounded the same since a run-in with the weather, Hearing Solutions, Inc. in Fargo can check them over. They can let you know exactly where things stand.

Give us a call at (701) 929-6692 and our team will help you figure out whether your devices need a professional drying, a repair or just a clean bill of health.