Moisture is one of the biggest threats to your hearing aids—especially during hot, humid summer months or after a sweaty workout. Just like how condensation forms on a cold soda can when it hits warm, humid air, the same can happen inside your hearing aids. The tiny electronic components develop moisture, which can lead to performance issues, corrosion, or even permanent damage.

Fortunately, there’s an easy solution: hearing aid dehumidifiers. These small but powerful tools help protect your investment and keeps your hearing aids working like new.

How Moisture Gets Into Your Hearing Aids

Moisture can sneak into your hearing aids in more ways than you might think. While obvious mishaps—like jumping into a pool or tossing your hearing aids into the laundry by accident—can definitely cause damage, everyday situations also pose a risk. Even natural humidity in the air or temperature changes can cause moisture to build up inside the delicate electronics of your devices.

Here are some common ways moisture gets in hearing aids: 

• Sweating during exercise
• Humidity in the environment 
• Condensation from moving between cold and warm areas
• Getting caught in the rain 
• Water activities like boating or kayaking 
• Using a sauna or shower 
• Spraying hairspray or other styling products

Certain lifestyles and environments increase the risk. If you live in a humid climate like Florida, work in cold storage (like a walk-in freezer), or lead an active lifestyle, your hearing aids are especially vulnerable to moisture damage.

Threats That Moisture Poses to Hearing Aids 

Moisture and humidity can be a hearing aid’s worst enemy—from affecting sound quality to causing total device failure. Even small amounts of humidity can harm the sensitive and expensive electronic parts of your hearing aids.

Here’s how moisture can cause problems:

• Condensation: When warm, humid air hits the cooler internal parts of your hearing aid, condensation forms—just like on a cold glass of water. As you can imagine, water and electronics don’t play well together. These tiny water droplets can interfere with the components and affect the sound quality. 
• Corrosion: Condensation that sits on electronic components can cause corrosion. Over time, rust can form on batteries, cutting off power or leading to swelling that may damage the device. 
• Electrical Shorts: While pure water isn't very conductive, the air and everyday moisture contains dust and other particles that do conduct electricity that can trigger electrical shorts.
• Complete Malfunction: If moisture isn’t removed, your hearing aids could stop working altogether, leading to costly repairs—or the need for a full replacement.

Products That Remove Moisture in Hearing Aids 

To keep your hearing aids performing their best, it’s important to minimize exposure to moisture whenever possible. While avoiding humid or wet environments is a great first step, using a hearing aid dehumidifier daily is good practice for any hearing aid owner. Below, we’ll walk you through the most effective dehumidifying options—and explain how each one helps safeguard your devices.

Dehumidifier Jar    

A hearing aid dehumidifier jar is a small, inexpensive container with a desiccant lining that absorbs moisture. This container doesn't require batteries or electricity—simply place your hearing aids in the dehumidifier jar before bed and close the lid.

UltraDry UV Dry Box 

The UltraDry UV Dry Box is a simple-to-use, compact device that sanitizes your hearing aids in addition to drying them. This dual-function electric dryer uses gentle, dry heat to remove moisture, sweat, and condensation, while also sanitizing with ultraviolet (UV-C) light to eliminate harmful germs, bacteria, and viruses. The UltraDry UV Dry Box is a faster drying method than the dehumidifier jar—the cleaning cycle only takes about 4 hours. Simply place your hearing aids in the dry box, press the button to start the cleaning cycle, and close the lid. 

Tubing Air Blower   

A tubing air blower is a special bulb designed for behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids. This tool creates pressure through the hearing aid tubing to dislodge any moisture, ear wax, and debris that can become trapped and migrate to your hearing aid. For best results, use this product weekly to blow out debris and dry the tubing. 

Alternative Hearing Aid Dehumidifiers

If you’re caught without a hearing aid dehumidifier, there are a couple of temporary solutions you can try. Silica gel packets (the kind you find in shoeboxes, medication bottles, or electronics packaging) can help in a pinch. These packets contain tiny silicon dioxide beads that absorb moisture.

As a last resort, uncooked white rice can also help draw out moisture. Simply place your hearing aids in a sealed container with a cup of dry rice overnight.

While these alternative methods can offer short-term relief, they’re no substitute for a proper hearing aid dehumidifier. Use them only until you’re able to get a more reliable solution.

Protection Plans

Many hearing aid companies offer the option to purchase a protection plan to safeguard your investment. MDHearing’s Protection Plan Subscription provides coverage for all types of accidental damage, including water damage and corrosion. If your hearing aids can’t be fixed, MDHearing will replace them. 

Importance of Cleaning Your Hearing Aids Daily 

Even if you use a dehumidifier to protect your hearing aids, daily cleaning is still crucial. Because hearing aids are so small, they're especially vulnerable to buildup from earwax, oils, and dust. Regular cleaning prevents these other threats from blocking sound or damaging the delicate internal parts.  

If your hearing aids aren't properly cleaned and kept dry, you may experience: 

• Faded or distorted sound
• Static or crackling noises
• Sound cutting in and out 
• Whistling/feedback

The good news? Cleaning your hearing aids is simple. Use a cleaning brush/wire tool to gently remove earwax and other debris from the hearing aid buttons, microphone ports, tips, and tubing. The hearing aid body can also be cleaned with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use water, alcohol, or other liquids as they can damage the hearing aid. Please see your User Manual for more detailed cleaning instructions.

Get Help With Your Hearing Aids 

Daily cleaning and moisture removal are key to keeping your hearing aids working properly for years to come. Using a hearing aid dehumidifier and proper cleaning tools makes this routine quick and hassle-free—helping you avoid costly repairs or having to buy a whole new set of hearing aids.

At MDHearing, we believe great hearing should be simple and affordable. That’s why we offer a full line of FDA-registered hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss—without the markup from middlemen. And to make maintenance easy, we also provide à la carte care accessories like cleaning tools, dehumidifiers, replacement tips, tubing, and more. No clinic visits, no added fees—just everything you need to keep your hearing aids clean and functional from the comfort of home. 

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