How to Clean Earwax Buildup

Treat earwax buildup at home.

Everybody has earwax in their ears because it's the ear's natural way of keeping itself clean and moisturized. Sometimes people have too much earwax due to seasonal or medical conditions, however. Though not necessarily a sign of poor hygiene, earwax buildup can cause problems with hearing, headaches and other discomforts---especially in combination with allergies or inclement weather. Consult your family doctor if you have chronic earwax buildup; for occasional buildup, however, you can easily clean your ears at home.

Things You'll Need

• Eye dropper or rubber syringe
• Oil (baby, mineral or olive)
• Towel

Instructions

1. Put a few drops of oil into your ear with the eye dropper or rubber syringe. Tilt your head to let the oil sit for a few seconds, then lay your head on the towel to let the oil come out.

2. Pull your ear upward to straighten your ear canal.

3. Squirt several drops of water into your ear to irrigate the ear canal.

4. Let the water drain out over a towel, and repeat as needed. You may have to irrigate your ear several times with water. To prevent damage, never send water into your ear at high pressure.

Tips & Warnings

• Never put liquids into your ears if you have a hole in your eardrum, as it can cause internal infection.

• Don't stick cotton swabs into your ear canal; they can damage your eardrum.

References

• American Hearing Research Foundation: Ear Wax
• U.S. National Library of Medicine Medline Plus: Wax Blockage