How to Remove Earwax

Cleaning your ears regularly will promote better hygiene. Routine earwax removal must be done gently. The suggestions that follow will remove normal earwax. If you have earwax that generally gets impacted (your doctor will have told you at some point in your life), you need to see a doctor to have it removed.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Bulb aspirator (available at pharmacies and in the baby-care section of grocery stores)
• Cotton balls
• 2-3 bowls
• one large
• one medium (or use the sink)
• one small
• Oils (baby
• mineral
• olive
• or almond)
• or glycerin
• Hydrogen peroxide
• 3 percent
• Eye dropper

1. Choose the method best for you. If you have dry or itchy ears, use only warm water or saline solution, and irrigate your ears only. If you have sensitive skin, use saline solution or plain water; if you have a lot of earwax, use oil, but discontinue use if irritation occurs. If you have no sensitivities, you can use any oils and hydrogen peroxide. Excessive earwax may require several applications over three days.

2. Gather needed supplies near a sink.

3. Warm the hydrogen peroxide and/or oil by placing the bottles in a bath of very warm water for a few minutes to bring the solutions to body temperature.

4. Place one of the towels over your shoulder on the side that you are treating.

5. Tip your head so that the ear you are about to treat is facing the ceiling.

6. Puddle three drops of oil into your ear canal using the eye dropper.

7. Purge the dropper of remaining oil into the sink, then use the dropper to place three drops of peroxide in the same ear canal.

8. Wait for a few minutes, until the bubbling of the peroxide stops.

9. Move to the next step if you need only one application. If you need multiple applications, place a cotton ball gently in the ear opening. Do not push it down inside. This will hold the solution in the ear so it can do its job. Apply the wax removal solution frequently a couple of times a day for a few days. Leave a cotton ball in place between applications. After a couple of days, you are ready to remove the cotton and move to the next step.

10. Make sure your towel is on your shoulder and your ear is over the sink. Tip your head so the ear you are treating now faces the floor.

11. Fill the small bowl with warm water. Fill the bulb aspirator with warm water.

12. Aim the open end of the bulb aspirator at a 45-degree angle to your ear canal by resting it against the bottom rim of your ear.

13. Ensure the end of the bulb is not in so deep that you have created a seal. Expelling water into your ear canal if there is a seal could cause injury.

14. Compress the bulb in a quick gentle bursts. Use only enough pressure to wash free any loosened earwax.

15. Dry the outside of your ear with a cotton swab or cotton ball. Never place a cotton swab or any object in your ear canal.

Tips & Warnings

• Use warm solutions for earwax removal. The body reacts strongly to cold substances in the ears.

• Do not do any earwax removal and see your physician if you suffer hearing loss, severe ear pain, discharge from the ear or fever.