Frequently Asked Questions

Dry & Store dryers are low-power, electrical appliances (with the exception of DryCaddy UV which is battery-powered), recommended for in-home use every night. All models include digital circuitry for precise timing and temperature control. Place your hearing aids in the drying compartment, press the POWER button, and Dry & Store does the rest. On models equipped with a UV-C lamp, for the first few minutes, an ultraviolet (UV-C) lamp sanitizes the hearing aids by reducing bacteria* on the hearing aid. Then, for the next few** hours, Dry & Store gently circulates warm, dry air. If your Dry & Store appliance uses a desiccant, throughout the cycle, the desiccant captures the moisture molecules as they are released from the hearing aids and eliminates odors. The DryBoost UV, DryDome, and DryKlean UV are convection dryers, meaning the moisture released from the hearing aids escapes through the holes in the appliance lid. All models have a built-in timer and will automatically turn off at the end of the cycle.

*Reduces 99.9% of bacteria, specifically Staphylococcus Aureus
**Drying cycle varies by product. Refer to individual product information for drying time.

While the best results will be achieved with a full cycle of drying, some benefit can be gained by shorter cycles.

DryBoost UV, DryCaddy UV, DryKlean UV, DryMax UV, Global II:
When you interrupt the process by opening the unit, the unit shuts off, and the timer re-sets itself, ready for the next full cycle.

DryDome, DryMax Standard, and Zephyr:
Press the POWER switch to interrupt the cycle then remove your hearing aids.

The temperature inside Dry & Store appliances is not much different from your body temperature. It is limited by a thermal control system, so you can place everything in the tray – hearing aids, earmolds, tubing, even the batteries. We do recommend the battery doors be open. NOTE: Rechargeable hearing aids must be dried at a lower temperature to avoid damage to the batteries. The DryBoost UV is made specifically for rechargeable devices using a lower temperature than the other Dry & Store appliances.

Yes, you can leave the batteries in the hearing aids during drying, with the battery door open.

Yes. Since moisture dampens the responsiveness of microphones and speakers, corrodes battery contacts, and interferes with conductivity of delicate electronics, any device that includes one or more of those components can benefit from Dry & Store products. Dry & Store dryers also help prevent corrosion of other components such as switches and hinges.

Rechargeable hearing aids must be dried at a much lower temperature than regular hearing aids because heat can damage the rechargeable batteries. Therefore, we do not recommend using most Dry & Store products with rechargeable hearing aids. DryBoost UV was created for exactly this use, and has a precisely controlled drying temperature that was designed specifically for use with rechargeable batteries. DryCaddy UV and DryCaddy can both be used with rechargeable hearing aids, as they use desiccants alone to provide the drying action.

No, the UV-C lamps used in various Dry & Store appliances generate very little heat. The air inside Dry & Store is warmed – and controlled – by a different mechanism. The UV-C lamp is on for a short time at the beginning of the drying and sanitizing cycle.

Yes. Earwax contains a certain amount of moisture. When that moisture is removed during Dry & Store drying, it becomes flaky and easier to remove from the instrument.

Desiccant is a term for a substance that captures moisture, either through absorption or adsorption (a specialized term in chemistry). The desiccant captures the moisture released during the drying cycle.
The Dry-Brik II, Dry-Brik Mini, and DryCaddy Disc desiccants used in Dry & Store products, a powerful proprietary molecular sieve, is very efficient at capturing moisture, and it is also an effective deodorizing agent.

No. While the same Dry-Brik II desiccant works in the Global, Global II, Professional, and Zephyr models, the DryMax and DryMax UV use the Dry-Brik Mini desiccant. The DryCaddy and DryCaddy UV utilize DryCaddy Discs. Dry-Brik II and DryCaddy Disc is replaced every two months. Dry-Brik Mini and DryCaddy UV Disc replacement is every month.

All of our desiccants use “molecular sieve,” a premium sorbent which contains tiny pores of a precise and uniform size. It acts at a molecular level (hence the name) by allowing small molecules – such as water – to pass through, where they are retained within the pores. A molecular sieve can adsorb water up to 22% of its own weight, and it is especially effective when operating in a warm environment such as a Dry & Store appliance. One of its important features is that once it grabs onto a moisture molecule, it holds it tightly so it’s “gone for good.”

The Dry-Brik II is formulated to last two months. Dry-Brik Mini is replaced monthly. DryCaddy Discs are replaced every two months; DryCaddy UV Disc is replaced monthly.