Get Rid of Ear Wax

Although earwax is a natural substance that helps protect the ear and ear canal, sometimes it builds up, causing hearing difficulties or discomfort. Earwax can be cleaned from the ear, but take care not to damage any of the sensitive parts of the ear while doing so. This article should help you remove earwax safely and effectively, while steering you clear of some of the more dangerous and ill-advised methods

Steps

Before you Begin

  1. Make sure you don't have an ear infection to begin with. If you have an ear infection, clearing away excess earwax could lead to a perforated eardrum.[1] (Ironically, earwax actually protects against infections.) Do not proceed with any of the methods, especially ear irrigation, if you:
    • Have had problems with irrigation in the past
    • Have had a perforated eardrum within the past year
    • Have mucus-like discharge draining from your ear
  2. When in doubt, see a doctor. Draining or removing earwax from your ear canal may not sound like a risky procedure, but it has the possibility of turning bad if you don't know what you're doing. If your ear hurts, don't risk it. Instead, see a doctor and consult with them about the following procedures.

Saline Solution

  1. In a glass, mug, or saucepan, mix together 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 cup of warm water. Mix until the salt is dissolved.
  2. Soak a cotton ball in the saline solution.
  3. Tilt the ear that's suffering from earwax buildup up towards the sky. Your head should be tilted sideways. Do this while sitting down to make the application of the saline solution easier.
  4. Take the soaked cotton ball and squeeze some of the salt water into the ear. A few drops are more than enough; don't drown your ear canal.
    • Wait for gravity to bring the saline solution down through the wax.
  5. Tilt your head the opposite way and wait for the salt water to drain out.

Hydrogen Peroxide

  1. In a glass or mug, mix together equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide (3%). There are some stronger hydrogen peroxide solutions (6%+), but they may not be available OTC. Stick with 3% or lower.
  2. Soak a cotton ball in the peroxide solution.
  3. Tilt the ear that's suffering from earwax buildup up towards the sky. Your head should be tilted sideways. Do this while sitting down to make the application of the solution easier.
  4. Take the soaked cotton ball and squeeze some of the peroxide solution into the ear. A few drops are more than enough.
    • Wait for gravity to bring the peroxide down through the wax. You should feel a tingling sensation as the bubbles fizzle in your ear.
  5. Tilt your head the opposite way and wait for the solution to drain out.

Vinegar and Alcohol

  1. In a glass or mug, mix together equal parts white vinegar and rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol. This mixture is especially effective for swimmer's ear, which is an infection of the outer ear canal brought about by water residue being trapped in the ear after swimming.[2] This is because alcohol helps water evaporate.
  2. Soak a cotton ball in the vinegar solution.
  3. Tilt the ear that's suffering from earwax buildup up towards the sky. Your head should be tilted sideways. Do this while sitting down to make the application of the solution easier.
  4. Take the soaked cotton ball and squeeze some of the vinegar solution into the ear. A few drops are more than enough.
    • Wait for gravity to bring the vinegar down through the wax. You should feel a warming sensation as the alcohol hits the skin and dissolves.
  5. Tilt your head the opposite way and wait for any remaining solution to drain out, if necessary.

Baby or Mineral Oil

  1. Apply baby oil or mineral oil directly into the ears. Fill a medicine dropper with your choice of drops.
  2. Tilt the ear that's suffering from earwax buildup up towards the sky. Your head should be tilted sideways. Do this while sitting down to make the application of the solution easier.
  3. Squeeze two to five drops of the oil into the ear.
  4. Place a cotton ball into the ear to keep the oil from dripping right out again. Allow the oil to set for several minutes.
  5. Remove the cotton ball. Bend your head and allow the oil to drip from your ear.
  6. Use a saline spray or water at room temperature to flush out Earwax.
    • This can be used bi-weekly to help clean the canal and reverse the buildup of Earwax, although earwax is naturally protective and there's no reason to use it every day.

What Not To Do

  1. Don't use Q-Tips for deep cleaning. Q-Tips can be used in the outer ear to remove superficial earwax, but don't dig into the ear canal with a Q-Tip. The tissue in your ear canal is extremely delicate; it's easy to introduce infections by smashing into any of the tissue near the tympanic membrane, or eardrum.
    • Another reason that doctors advise against using Q-Tips to remove substantial buildup in the ear is that you're likely to push more earwax into the canal than you are likely to bring it out. If that's the case, what's the point in using a Q-Tip?
  2. Don't use ear candles. Ear candling is when you place a cone-shaped device into the ear, light a candle on the far end of the spout, and let the pressure of the candle vacuum out the earwax. That's the theory, at least. Ear candling doesn't work, and is dangerous, for the following reasons:
    • Earwax is sticky. The pressure that it would take to "vacuum" earwax from the ear canal would be so great that it would unfortunately rupture your eardrum. This is because earwax is sticky and doesn't move readily.
    • Ear candling can deposit candle-wax into your ear. Instead of taking earwax from your ear, candling can easily deposit candle-wax into your ear. That's because you're lighting a candle perilously close to your ear, on a device that funnels into your ear.
    • Ear candling can be dangerous. There are a host of medical problems waiting to happen as soon as you decide to use an ear candle:[3]
      • The air inside the ear can become so hot that it can burn the inner ear.
      • The candle can accidentally result in a fire if care is not taken.
      • The procedure may result in a perforated eardrum.
  3. Don't spray any liquids into the ear with force. Doctors may do this but you should not. Liquids that are thrust into the ear canal may get past the tympanic membrane and cause an ear infection. Liquids that are thrust against the tympanic membrane may cause damage to the inner ear.



Tips

  • Don't push Q-Tips further into your ear than the narrow entrance into you ear canal. This could end with your eardrum possibly taking damage if you accidentally push Earwax, or the Q-Tip itself into the eardrum.
  • DO NOT use any kind of cotton swab to rid the earwax from your inner ear, it can damage your ear beyond repair.
  • Regular amounts of Vitamin C in your diet can help eliminate Earwax buildup naturally.
  • Use ear drops that are prescribed by your doctor.
  • If ears still feel full of wax after a week's worth of at home treatment, consult your physician.

Warnings

  • Never use a cotton swab or any other object to clean your ear. The object may be pushed into your ear farther than you intend and can actually damage your ear canal. Plus, it can cause the wax to become impacted even more than it first was.
  • Ear candles have caused injuries to many. They are not recommended for Earwax removal.
  • If you are experiencing ear pain, a fever, loss of hearing or ringing in the ears, do not attempt any home remedies for removing Earwax. Consult your physician instead.
  • Be careful about using hydrogen peroxide in your ears. This solution is very strong and could cause adverse reactions.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Earwax/Pages/Treatment.aspx
  2. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/swimmers-ear/manage/ptc-20201568
  3. ↑ http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/candling.html
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