How to Clean a Toddler's Ears
Toddlers can get quite grimy, and keeping up with their hygeine is often an uphill battle. Keep your toddler clean and healthy by making sure his ears are clean. Forget about the fancy drops and ignore the old wives' tales about how to keep a toddler's ears clean. All you need is a simple washcloth, and your toddler will be on his way to the cleanest ears on the block.
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Instructions
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Prepare the washcloth. Use a washcloth that has a thick nap to it, those little bumps of the washcloth. Don't use a washcloth that is really smooth. A thick nap is going to act like dozens of tiny fingers, working to get your toddler's ears clean. Wet the washcloth with warm water and wring it out thoroughly.
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Clean behing the ear. Use the wet washcloth to clean behind the toddler's ear. Often, crusty dead skin, hair oil and dirt buildup can gather in the crease where the ears attach to the head.
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Clean the upper ear crevices. Wrap the wet washcloth around your index finger, and softly dig into the creases at the top of the ear. You might have to hold some of the creases apart with your other hand to really get all those soft bumps and curves of your toddler's upper ear clean.
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Clean just outside the ear canal. Using a clean spot on the damp washcloth, clean the opening just outside the ear canal. Often, ear wax will spill out past the ear canal. The washcloth should pick up any excess ear wax.
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Ignore the inner ear wax. Ear wax is a natural part of a toddler's ear and you should never use a cotton swab to clean wax out of a toddler's ear canal. Most pediatricians say that ear wax will work its way out of the ear canal eventually and should just be swiped up with a wet washcloth. If you are concerned about an ear wax buildup, ask your pediatrician to check it out. If there's too much in there, she can remove it without harming the toddler's eardrum.
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Some parents like to use a dab of hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball to swab the outside of the ear canal.
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Tips & Warnings
Cleaning your toddler's ears may be easier at bathtime, as she is already occupied and it's easy to re-wet the washcloth as needed.
Never stick a cotton swab into your toddler's ear. It will just push the ear wax in deeper and may end up impacting the wax and causing damage to the ear drum.
