Dos and Don’ts of Cleaning Your Ears

There is a right way and there is a wrong way when it comes to tackling most tasks, especially when the wrong way could result in scarring damages. Believe it or not, cleaning your ears can be thought of this way. There is a right way and many wrong ways to keeping your ears squeaky clean. Visit this list of ear dos and don’ts to make sure you are maintaining safe ear hygiene when cleaning your ears.

Tips for cleaning your ears

Do clean your ears on a regular basis. Make sure to wipe the outside of your ears with a warm, damp cloth daily.

Do check for earwax build up by gently swiping the inside of your outer ear with a damp cloth. If you wear hearing aids, you might notice a build up of earwax on the devices. If the build up is exceptionally bad, a hearing aid wearer might notice intermittent sound or static coming from the devices. This can be caused by a dislodged fitting of the hearing aid.

Do attempt to get rid of excess earwax at home with an over-the-counter earwax removal kit. These softening drops are put into the ears, while holding to the head to the side, and then allowed to drain out after five minutes. Sitting up will let the drops drain out naturally. To rid the ear of any excess fluid, a bulb-type syringe, usually included in the kits, may be used to gently flush the ear with warm water.

Things to avoid when cleaning your ears

Don’t insert Q-Tips or cotton swabs into your ears. Doing so poses the risk of pushing wax deeper into the ear canal, worsening any hearing issues. It also puts you at risk of rupturing an ear canal or drum.

Don’t attempt to ear candle if you have a build up of earwax. Doctors recommend against ear candling, a method in which a hollow cone made of beeswax and paraffin with cloth on a tapered end. The cloth is placed into the ear. A second person lights the wax end, holding your hair to avoid the flame. The theory goes that a vacuum is created as the flame burns, drawing the wax from the ear. However, limited clinical trials prove otherwise.

Don’t hesitate to call your hearing healthcare professional if you are maintaining proper ear hygiene but are having issues with excess earwax buildup. While some amount of earwax is normal and healthy, too much can cause or accentuate hearing loss.

Our auditory system is an amazing part of our bodies. While cleaning your ears may feel like a necessary task, daily maintenance is certainly not required.