Know how to remove ear wax without using a cotton swab

Ear wax is good for your ear but if there is a buildup you might want to clean that up. Here are 4 methods that you can try for easy removal of ear wax.
tips to clean ear wax
Try these safer ways to clean ear wax. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock
Manasvi Jain Published: 3 Jan 2023, 15:29 pm IST
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Are you in the habit of cleaning your ears with anything pointy that reaches your hand? Well, that is just wrong and not to mention highly dangerous. Cleaning ear wax with hard pointy objects can cause a lot of damage to your ears. Though earbuds or cotton swabs are better choices, it is still often advised to not use them. So, how to remove the slimy dirt? Don’t worry as we are here with some home remedies that can help you remove ear wax without the use of earbuds.

There are many ways to remove ear wax and keep your hearing organ clean. But since it is a sensitive part of the body, the method you choose should be absolutely safe. But before you do that, let us find out whether one should clean ears or not?

ear wax
Is there a need to clean your ears? Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Ear wax is a sticky substance that develops inside our ears and its role is to protect our ears against bacteria, fungi, and water and also assists in cleaning and lubrication. So, ear wax might look yucky and like something that needs to be cleaned but it actually protects your ears. Often, the buildup of wax can be too much leading to ear infection and hearing issues and in that case it becomes important to remove the ear wax.

Here are some ways to remove ear wax at home without using an earbud:

1. Hydrogen peroxide

Soak a cotton ball or use a dropper and drip a few drops of diluted hydrogen peroxide into the ear with your head tilted in such a way that your ear is pointing up towards the ceiling. Keep it in that position for a minute or two so that the fluid gets pulled down through the wax. Then tilt the head the other way and let the fluid and wax drain out.

ear wax removal
Try hydrogen peroxide to remove your wax. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

2. Oil

Using a dropper or a cotton ball, you can put some oil in your ear. Oil helps in softening the ear wax and then it is easier to remove it with an earbud without having to poke and prod around too much. You can use any oil of your choice like baby oil, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. and heat it so that it is a little warm. Make sure it is not too hot and only put one or two drops in the ear.

how to remove ear wax
Ditch earbuds and try oil for ear wax removal. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

3. Glycerine

Glycerine does the same thing as oil. If you don’t want your ears to get sticky after using oil, you can use a few drops of glycerine. Glycerine will help remove the ear wax and will also soften the skin of your ears.

4. Warm water

If you don’t feel comfortable about putting all these things in your ears, you can simply clean your ears with warm water. Using a syringe or dropper, you can irrigate your ear with warm water or a saline solution and that will clear up the ear wax instantly!

So, try these methods to remove ear wax at home and avoid using small pointy objects or methods like ear candling which can cause irreparable damage to your ears. You can use cotton swabs to clean the outer, visible part of the ear but avoid cleaning the inside as you can damage your eardrums.

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About the Author

Manasvi Jain is a professional writer with a keen interest in spreading awareness about various health and wellness issues through her articles. She writes well researched articles by connecting with various doctors and health experts. ...Read More

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