How to clean your ears

Knowing how to properly clean ears is an essential part of your hygiene and self-maintenance. But unlike showering or brushing your teeth, ear cleaning doesn’t need to be done very often – your ears can do the majority of the cleaning by themselves. The movement of your jaw as you speak and eat is usually enough to work the earwax out naturally. Nevertheless, if you want to give your outer ears a clean or if they are feeling clogged, here are some simple ways to safely clean your ears.

While many people still use cotton buds to clean their ears, they should never be used in the external auditory canal. Cotton-bud packaging often carries a safety warning advising you not that cotton buds should not be inserted into your ear canal. Every time you use a cotton bud, you risk pushing earwax deeper into your ear where it could get stuck and where it cannot be cleaned. The trapped earwax may also contain bacteria which can cause infection. There’s also the danger that you could irritate the delicate skin in the ear or even perforate your eardrum which can be very painful and cause temporary hearing loss.

If you think you have too much ear wax and your ears feel blocked, it’s best to seek advice before treating the problem yourself. A build-up of excess ear wax is quite common. But nevertheless, it can make your ears feel full, uncomfortable and painful, and can even cause temporary hearing loss. Your doctor will be able to determine whether your ears feel clogged because of ear wax or because of one of the other common causes for clogged ears, such as:

• Fluid in the ear
• Change in altitude
• Infection
• Sinus pressure
• Noise damage

Your ears naturally produce cerumen, an orangey-brown substance more commonly known as ear wax. While you may be keen to remove it as soon as you spot it, it is there to protect and lubricate your ears. While it can stop dirt and dust from becoming trapped in your ear it also stops your ears from feeling itchy and dry. Ear wax should generally be left alone unless it is causing problems such as your ears becoming blocked. You may develop a build-up of wax as a result of:

• Naturally having more wax in your ears
• Narrow or hairy ear canals
• Your age
• Using hearing aids, earplugs or in-ear headphones

If this happens, there are some remedies for clogged ears that can also help to clean them.

In your ears, there are the same sweat glands that can be found in your armpits and other sweat-producing areas of your body. These glands are what produces the antibacterial earwax that protects your ears, but can also be responsible for body odour, too. This makes it a good idea to keep your ears clean. The simplest way to do this is by using a damp cloth. You just need to wet the cloth with warm water, squeeze out any excess and gently wipe around the outside of your ears, not forgetting behind the ears, too.

Ear drops are a common way to remove earwax. They are designed to soften and loosen the wax so it will naturally work its way out of your ears. There are many ear drops available to buy over the counter. You can also make your homemade ear drops using almond oil or olive oil.

If you want to make your drops, warm the oil until it's at body temperature. While lying down on one side use a dropper to drop a few drops of the oil into your ear and stay in that position for between 5 to 10 minutes. You may find that you have to repeat this process a few times a day for up to five days to fully soften the wax build-up.

If earwax seems to be a persistent problem for you, your doctor may suggest ear irrigation or syringing. This process uses a tool to push a pressurised flow of water into your ear canal to dislodge the ear wax. Your doctor can do this for you or you can buy an irrigation kit to use at home. It’s a good idea to first try loosening the ear wax with ear drops to make the process much easier. You will then have to warm up the water and saline solution and then using a syringe, squirt the solution into your ear canal. It’s recommended that people with the following issues should avoid using irrigation to clean their ears and remove wax build-up:

• Holes in your eardrum
• A tube in your eardrum
• Diabetes
• Skin conditions such as eczema near or in your ear

Your ears are an amazing part of your body. But they are also very delicate, so knowing how to properly clean ears safely will ensure they continue to work their best for you.

Hydrogen peroxide finds application in ear care as a method for cleaning ears, albeit with some considerations. When used properly, it can offer a gentle and effective solution for addressing earwax buildup. Typically, a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide and water is prepared, ensuring a safe concentration for ear application. This mixture is then administered into the ear canal using a dropper. The effervescence produced by hydrogen peroxide as it interacts with earwax can aid in softening and loosening the wax, making it easier to remove. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals experiencing mild discomfort or slight hearing impairment due to excess earwax. It's worth noting, however, that caution must be exercised. Consulting a medical professional before attempting this approach is recommended, as improper usage or the use of high concentrations can potentially cause irritation or even damage to the delicate structures of the ear.