Although they are not the best solution, remember if you decide to use cotton swabs to clean your ears, they should only be used for external use and should not get too far into the ear.

9 tips to clean ears safely and quickly

How to clean your ears safely? Ear hygiene is very important. Not knowing how to clean the ears safely can lead to irreversible damage.

Bad ear cleaning habits

Many people clean their ears by inserting objects such as water sticks, toothpicks, crochet hooks and even pencils and keys into their ear canal. They believe that by doing this they can eliminate earwax and other dirt that can cause the feeling of clogged ears.

Using these tools achieves the opposite effect because it will not clean ears safely. The foreign objects change the pH and the fatty acid content, which removes all wax and undermines the ear's ability to defend itself against bacteria.

The ear has an effective natural cleaning mechanism that should not be manipulated. Any inappropriate action can disrupt this mechanism and cause problems which may even lead to deafness.

The ear has three parts: an outer part (outer ear), a canal (middle ear) and tympanic membrane on the back (inner ear). Earwax, which is the ear's natural means of protection, is found in the canal.

What is earwax function?

  • Capture bacteria and dirt that cross the boundaries of the outer ear
  • Avoid infections
  • Prevent water from entering the ear

Continuous removal of earwax eliminates the ear's natural defense mechanism. In addition, the introduction of sharp objects in the ear can damage the eardrum and cause deafness.

How to clean ears safely

Use a saline solution

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup warm water (125 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon fine salt (10 g)

Materials

  • 1 cotton ball or pipette

What to do:

  • Mix 1 tablespoon salt in half a cup of warm water. Combine until the salt is completely dissolved and the solution is uniform.
  • Put a cotton ball in the solution and squeeze a few drops into the ear. You can also use a pipette.
  • Keep your head slightly tilted to the side, with the treated ear up.
  • After a few minutes, tilt your head to the opposite side so that the solution runs out.

2. Hydrogen peroxide

  • Mix equal parts boiled water and hydrogen peroxide.
  • Follow the same steps as with the saline solution and mix the mixture with a soaked cotton ball or pipette.

3. Baby oil, Olive oil or Mineral oil

For use in case of earwax blocking.

  • Place a few drops in the ear to soften the wax and let the oil work overnight.
  • Place a cotton ball in the ear so that the oil does not disappear until it reaches the wax.
  • In the morning, take the cotton ball and clean the excess oil.

4. Vinegar and Alcohol to Clean Ears Safely

  • Mix equal parts white vinegar and alcohol.
  • While tilting your head to one side, place a few drops of the solution in your ear and let it sit for a few minutes.
  • After a few minutes, tilt your head to the other side to allow the solution to drain.

5. Flushing

Injecting sterilized water with a syringe is another suitable method of cleaning your ears.

The water should be slightly warm and reach body temperature. After rinsing your ear, dry it well.

6. Daily activities

If you feel that you may have earwax blockage in your ears, you can do certain activities to help drain the blockage in a natural way.

Some of the most effective ways to do this are:

  • Chewing gum
  • Movement of the jaw

7. If you use cotton swabs

If you mistakenly use cotton swabs to clean your ear safely, it is necessary to take into account the following measures to prevent damage to your ears.

  • They should be used for cleaning but only in the external zone.
  • They must be inserted at a right angle.
  • This is very important: they should not be used to remove earwax, therefore it is not safe to put them up to the middle ear.

Improper use of cotton swabs can be harmful. You risk pushing earwax (and other contaminants that may be present) from the outer part of the ear to the inner part, which can cause blockages and infections.

8. Ear cleaning should not be overdone

Cotton swabs are a bad idea

Excessive ear cleansing is not a good thing, as earwax as mentioned earlier is a natural defense mechanism. We suggest cleaning your ears only once a week, no matter which procedure you choose.

9. What to do in case of infection

If you experience intense pain, redness and fever, we recommend that you do not use any of the home treatment methods. Instead, contact your doctor immediately.

A regular visit to your ear, nose and throat specialist is always advisable.

A doctor can observe the interior of the ear with special instruments and suggest the most appropriate ear cleansing method for your situation.