Microphone Screens: Are they fragile?

Hearing Aids
#1

I have had my HAs for several years and have just cleaned the exterior, changed wax guards on the receiver and put new domes in place. I just bought a digital microscope and for the first time I looked into the three microphone ports and found them to be moderately gunked up with debris. I used an old toothbrush to swipe out the debris. I am curious as to how fragile those little port/screens are. Can anyone advise what precautions I should take when cleaning the microphone ports?

#2

Could you send me pic of the screen microphone, there a many types of microphone screens

#3

Here is what I call the screen. It was much more obvious as a screen when I first looked at it.

Left top microphone opening S
Left top microphone opening S1428Ă—887 163 KB

#4

Erm, I would never poke anything into an unprotected microphone hole. The diaphragm is pretty delicate. But when it comes to guards there is hope! On my rather old Phonak Naida S there are two very small (5 mm) flat, oval, grey guards - rather as in your photo. When they get grubby, real harmonic distortion arises - how very odd.
Anyway, I prise them out with a needle (again, taking care not to drive inwards), soak in warm water & dishwashing liquid, dry carefully and finally use a thin drinking straw to suck away dissolved gunk from them. Detergent tastes dreadful - but better that than not be able to hear properly. I’m tempted to add “Don’t try this at home” …but so far no problems. Tweezers are helpful.

#5

What about using a Jodi -vac on the microphone screen? I have long hair and assume stuff accumulates on the screen.
I also use the brush end of a standard HA brush/pic used for cleaning wax from a custom mold.

2 Likes
#6

Thanks for your comments. I will check into the Jodi-vac. Having bought the digital microscope based upon comments on Facebook by another HA user who had just bought such a device, I was surprised to find all the crap in the microphone ports. I did not feel that I was losing volume, but the perceived volume did go up after I cleaned the HAs.

#7

Well, this kind of screen microphone protector usually go inside the hearing aid shell and is glued.

#8

Thank you. I appreciate your comments.

#9

I went to google and found a short video about cleaning Signia mics with one of those small bruch/pic tools that we all get with our aids. “just brush against the screen of all three mics” it said, which is what I’'ve mostly done.
the message is not to worry. that won’t hurt anything.