Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow to Clean EarsWorst MethodsProfessional Cleaning
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How to Clean Ears
Worst Methods
Professional Cleaning
Your ears have built-in protection and self-cleaning measures to keep them free of dirt and germs.Cerumen(earwax) keeps dirt and germs away from your eardrum. When you chew, the skin inside your ear canal moves, pushing the earwax to your outer ear.
Sometimes, your ears may need extra preventive cleaning, especially if you make excessive earwax. If you have symptoms of earwax buildup, you may need to remove it at home or have a professional clean your ears.
This article reviews how to and how not to clean your ears and remove earwax. It also covers the benefits of professional cleaning.
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How to Clean Your Ear Canals
If your ears produce morewaxthan they can naturally clear, use a damp cloth or tissue to clean the outer ear and help remove excess wax. Some people also usehydrogen peroxideor alcohol drops inside their ears to prevent earwax build-up. The reasons for excess earwax might include:
Excessive Earwax in Children: What to Do
Toremove earwaxat home, consider usingcerumenolyticagents (solutions that soften earwax) or irrigation (flushing it out with water). Some people use both methods, applying the cerumenolytics 15 to 30 minutes before irrigating.
Taking a warm shower before irrigation can also help soften and loosen earwax. Use warm, body-temperature water when irrigating; otherwise, you can get significantvertigo(a spinning sensation).
Cerumenolytic Agents
Cerumenolytic agents soften earwax, making it easier to remove. Avoid cerumenolytics if you have a nonintact eardrum (hole in the eardrum), active dermatitis (inflamed, itchy skin) in your ear, or an ear infection.
You can use two or three drops of the following water-based solutions in the ear 15 to 30 minutes before irrigation or several days in a row (for up to 14 days) if you are not using irrigation:
You can also use three or four drops of the following oil-based solutions before irrigation or twice daily for four days.
If you use over-the-counter drops like Earax Advance (choline salicylate plus glycerol) or Addax (ethylene oxide polyoxypropylene glycol), use three drops before irrigation or twice daily for four days. For Debrox (carbamide peroxide), use five to 10 drops before irrigation or twice daily for up to seven days.
How to Instill Ear Drops
Ear Irrigation
Ear irrigation, flushing outearwax buildupwith water or saline (salt water), can occur 15 to 30 minutes after using a cerumenolytic to soften the wax. You can also irrigate without first using cerumenolytic solutions. Here is how to perform irrigation:
Risks that may occur with ear irrigation include:
In rare cases, using tap water can lead to an ear infection. Consider using saline or distilled water to reduce the risk. You can also place a few drops of half vinegar/half water solution or alcohol drops after irrigation to reduce the risk of infection.
Avoid ear irrigation if you have a history of:
With Symptoms
If you don’t have any symptoms of earwax build-up, it’s OK to leave it alone. But if excessive earwax causes symptoms, removal becomes necessary. Symptoms include:
Ear itching may be due to atopic dermatitis of the ear canal skin or swimmer’s ear, an outer ear canal infection. This occurs after exposure to water. Remove water from your ears after swimming or bathing to prevent outer ear infections. To alleviate itching and discomfort, you can try:
Comparing Swimmer’s Ear Drops
Worst Ways to Clean Your Ears at Home
Avoid the following ear-cleaning methods, which can do more harm than good.
The Dangers of Using Q-Tips for Earwax
Reasons to Get a Professional Ear Cleaning
Professionals provide a risk assessment before cleanings. They check for narrow ear canals, diabetes, past radiation therapy, or other conditions that could make cleaning risky. This may indicate a need for a special tool or technique.
For instance, your provider may use a microscope for safer cleaning if you have a history of a perforated eardrum or ear tubes. If your ears easily trap water, they may manually remove the wax without water (using a forceps, curette, or suction tip).
If trying different methods to remove the earwax doesn’t work and the symptoms continue, the provider can refer you to an otolaryngologist (a healthcare provider who specializes in disorders of the ear, nose, and throat, also called an ENT).
Summary
Your ears naturally clean themselves, but if you have excessive earwax buildup, you can clean them at home using cerumenolytics (earwax-softening solutions) and irrigation.
However, for more stubborn buildup, or if you have underlying health problems, consider a professional ear cleaning. Professionals have the expertise and tools to remove earwax safely, preventing ear canal or eardrum injury.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491
Michaudet C, Malaty J.Cerumen impaction: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(8):525-529. PMID: 30277727
Meyer F, Preuß R, Angelow A, Chenot F, Meyer E, Kiel S.Cerumen impaction removal in general practices: a comparison of approved standard products.Journal of Primary Care & Community Health. 2020;11. doi:10.1177/2150132720973829
Wright T.Ear wax.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:0504.
Horton GA, Simpson MTW, Beyea MM, Beyea JA.Cerumen management: An updated clinical review and evidence-based approach for primary care physicians.J Prim Care Community Health. 2020;11:2150132720904181. doi:10.1177/2150132720904181
MedlinePlus.Swimmer’s ear.
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