How to Use Peroxide to Remove Earwax
Ear wax is produced by cerumen glands in your ears and is meant as a protective agent. It traps any foreign objects such as bugs, dirt and bacteria, before they can enter your ear. However, it would seem that the cerumen glands can become a bit over zealous in their production at times, which can cause hearing loss and pain from blockage of the ear canal. However, there is a solution. Read on to learn how to use peroxide to remove earwax.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Squeezing the rubber tip of the eyedropper, filling it with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide.
-
2
With your affected ear tipped up, squeeze the eyedropper, filling the ear canal with the hydrogen peroxide.
-
-
3
Hold your head still until there is no longer a fizzing feel or sound. This may be a bit uncomfortable.
-
4
Fill the ear dropper with warm water (as close to body temperature as possible). Over a sink, flush the ear canal with the water and then turn the affected ear down towards the sink. Repeat Step 4 until the wax is dislodged and comes out of the ear. Do not leave water in your ear as the water may become trapped and it can cause infection.
-
5
Squeeze rubbing alcohol into the eye dropper. If you have worked on both ears, apply half of the dropper contents in each ear. This will dry any water left in the ear, preventing infection.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
For stubborn, hard wax apply a few drops of baby oil or mineral oil into the ear canal each day. Eventually it should soften enough to follow the hydrogen peroxide treatment.
Do not use cotton swabs to clean the wax out of your ear. It only pushes it deeper into the ear canal.
Make sure the hydrogen peroxide you use is no greater than a 3 percent concentration. This is very important as the ear drum could be damaged if a stronger percentage is used.
Complete blockage of the ear or extremely hard wax may require medical treatment to remove.
If you have had swimmers ear in the past, other ear infection or have a whole in the eardrum, this procedure should not be applied. Consult your physician.
