Don’t wear the hearing aids in excessively loud environments, such as around power tools and guns. While the hearing aids will not over-amplify a loud sound, they are not designed to block out a sound that is already overly loud. Therefore, they will not protect you from the dangers of excessive noise. Use this rule of thumb: if hearing protection is recommended for the population at large, you should also use hearing protection.

Don’t allow your hearing aids to get wet or too hot or cold. Hearing aids are designed to withstand a certain amount of moisture (e.g., sweat, a misting rain), but they should be protected from heavy exposure. Do not take hearing aids swimming or in the shower. It’s okay to wear your hearing aids in hot or cold weather, because they’ll be regulated by your body temperature. However, don’t leave them sitting in your car overnight, out in the sun, or by the stove. You should also never put your hearing aids or their batteries in the refrigerator; contrary to popular belief, this is not good for them. Extreme temperatures can create an accumulation of moisture inside your hearing aids and cause them to malfunction.

Do wear your hearing aids as often as possible, whenever you’re awake and dry. The more often you wear them in easy listening situations, such as one-on-one conversations in quiet environment, the better you’ll do in difficult listening situations, such as in a restaurant or with a large group.

Do lightly clean your hearing aids each night when you take them off. Focus particularly on the speakers (the part that goes in your ear canal) and the microphones (typically located on the piece that sits above your ear for behind-the-ear hearing aids and on the spot that faces out of your ear canal for in-the-ear hearing aids).

Do store the hearing aids in a case and with the battery doors open when you’re not wearing them. Keep your hearing aids out of reach from all pets, as they will seek and destroy!