How to permanently remove Realtek HD audio?

[Windows Central Question]

Upon upgrading to Windows 10, a new audio driver Realtek HD audio has been installed. The sound on my laptop is now horrible, frequently static sounds are made when listening to music, youtube, etc. When I uninstall Realtek, the sound improves and everything is fine, but after restarting or shutting down, it always seems to find its way back in control of the audio. How can I permanently remove this and prevent it from reinstalling? Thanks for your help.