In a nutshell: If your hearing aid gets wet: switch it off immediately, remove the battery or do not charge it, dry it externally and then let it dry thoroughly, preferably in an electronic drying box with 3 to 4 cycles. Please do not use a hairdryer, and do not place it on a heater, in the oven, or in the microwave. Afterwards, have the device thoroughly post-dried by an audiologist.
Step-by-step
- Switch off immediately. Electricity plus water is the most dangerous combination for electronics.
- Remove the battery or do not charge it. For battery-powered devices, remove the battery and leave the flap open. Please do not place rechargeable devices in the charging station as long as they might be damp.
- Dry externally. With a soft, dry cloth. For receiver-in-canal (RIC) devices, remove the dome; for behind-the-ear (BTE) devices, remove the earmold with the tube; for in-the-ear (ITE) devices with a dome, also remove the dome. For custom-made ITE devices, nothing extra needs to be removed. This allows residual water to drain off.
- Dry thoroughly. An electronic drying box like the PerfectDry Lux or the UV DRY BOX is ideal. Let the program run 3 to 4 times. No drying box at hand? The well-known rice trick is fine as an emergency solution.
- To the audiologist. Even if everything works again: have the device intensively dried and checked by an audiologist on the next working day. Residual moisture continues to work inside and can otherwise lead to corrosion damage weeks later.
What you should avoid
Please no hairdryer, no heater, and no direct sunlight. Ovens and microwaves are also not a solution. Heat deforms the housing, damages seals, and destroys batteries, turning moisture damage into certain total damage.
Does the device need to be repaired now?
This cannot be said across the board. For receiver-in-canal (RIC) devices, sometimes it is enough to replace the receiver, but often the entire device is affected. A practical tip if only one side got wet: experimentally swap the receiver of the dry side onto the wet device. If it works again, only the receiver was defective; replacements are available here. BTE and ITE devices that no longer work after drying must be checked by a specialist and repaired if necessary.
How well are modern hearing aids protected?
Significantly better than their reputation: Current devices such as Phonak Audéo Lumity or Infinio are IP68 certified; according to the manufacturer, the housing can withstand 60 minutes in 1 meter of fresh water. Nevertheless, you should not rely on this: receivers, filters, and microphone inputs remain sensitive, and chlorine or salt water as well as soap additionally attack the material. The first-aid steps therefore also apply to modern devices. How to prevent moisture can be read in the guide Properly Drying Your Hearing Aid, and the conscious handling of water is explained in Hearing Aids and Water in Everyday Life.
Frequently asked questions
My hearing aid was only briefly in the rain. Do I need to do anything? Dry it briefly and let it dry thoroughly: battery-powered devices in the drying box overnight, rechargeable devices 45 minutes in the PerfectDry Lux and then in the charging station.
Does the rice trick really work? As an emergency solution, yes, rice slowly removes moisture. However, it does not replace proper drying: afterwards, into the drying box and for an audiologist check.
The device worked again at first, but now it fails more often. Why? This is the typical pattern of moisture damage: corrosion develops over weeks. Schedule an appointment with the audiologist promptly before the damage worsens.
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