How to safely clean your ears

If you have ever visited a doctor because of an ear problem, you’ve probably been cautioned not to put anything smaller than your elbow inside of your ear. As outrageous as it sounds, this piece of advice is essential in protecting your eardrums from damage. 

But your ears need to be kept clean. So how do you do this without causing any damage? 

1. Use a damp cloth when cleaning the outer part of your ear

Dip a cloth or paper towel in water. Wring out the excess water, then swab the outer part of your ear. You should avoid inserting it inside your ear canal as this is harmful. Be sure to get into all the folds of your outer ear.

2. Avoid inserting cotton buds into your ear canal

Most of us think of cotton buds whenever we think about cleaning our ears but did you know that these seemingly harmless tools can damage your ear canal? Since your ears are self-cleaning, i.e. the wax should come out by itself, there’s essentially no need to use cotton buds. They can push the earwax further into your ear canal and even damage your eardrum if you push it far enough. You can however use them to clean the outer ear and behind your ears. 

3. Use a softener to soften earwax for easier removal

Some chemists and pharmaceuticals stock these products up their shelves. Earwax softener is a liquid that works magic. Some of them contain baby oil, mineral oil, glycerin or hydrogen peroxide. These will soften wax ensuring that it comes out of your ears easily preventing buildup. Pour the softener in your ear and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Once the wax is out, proceed to rinse your ear with plain warm water. 

4. Irrigate your ears with a syringe

According to Healthline, ears are irrigated to remove excess wax or foreign objects that get stuck in the ear canal. These can damage the eardrum if allowed to stay in the ear canal. An irrigation kit is used. These can be purchased online, from a chemist, or you can get a doctor to do it for you.

If your doctor does it for you, they will use a tool that resembles a syringe to insert warm water (or water with a saline solution) into your ear. This should soften the wax and help it come out easily.

For at home ear irrigation, pour baby oil or mineral into your ear to allow for a few days to soften the wax. Then use the syringe to put warm water into your ear to flush out the wax.

Remember to consult your doctor before you take any extreme measure when cleaning your ears. For the most part, your ears should clean themselves so seeing wax in your outer ear isn’t unusual. But should you notice anything unusual, consult your doctor.