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Most body parts are fairly easy to clean: just scrub with soap and rinse. An area that might seem a little more complicated? Your ears. When earwax builds up, it may be tempting to stick a cotton swab into the ear canal to clean it. But the medical experts we spoke to said it could be dangerous and damage the ear canal.
So how do you clean your ears? We asked the doctors exactly this question. Below, they give advice on the safest way to clean your ears, show how often you should do it, and discuss what happens if you don't keep this part of your body clean. Additionally, we have put together some ear cleaner recommendations based on their advice.
NEXT What's the best way to clean your ears? | How often should you clean your ears? | What happens if you don't clean your ears? | Products to help you clean your ears
What is the best way to clean your ears?
Before you learn how to clean your ears, it's important to understand the techniques you should avoid. "It is advisable not to put objects such as cotton swabs in the ears, as this can damage the ear canal or even rupture the thin and delicate eardrum, which can lead to hearing loss," explains Dr. Joaquin Villagas . Family Medicine Physician at UTHealth Houston. "Cotton swabs can still be used to clean the outer ear, but they should not be inserted into the inner ear." Villagas recommends avoiding not only cotton swabs, but also popular trends like using ear candles and olive oil sprays to clean earwax.
Instead, there are a few other options that experts say you can use if you feel like you have earwax building up in your ears. They are:
- Use a damp cloth: "This is the safest method for most people," says Dr. Soma Mandal, board-certified internist at Summit Health in New Providence, New Jersey. Simply dampen a cloth with warm water and gently wipe the outside of the ear. It is important not to attempt to insert the cloth into the inner ear as this could cause irritation.
- Try ear drops: Patients clean their ears with cerumenolytics, which help loosen earwax, says Villagas, who notes there are many over-the-counter options. Mandal recommends using these drops for a few days and says the wax becomes so soft that it comes off on its own.
- See a doctor for ear irrigation: If earwax builds up and affects your hearing, you may need to seek help from a doctor. "A healthcare professional can flush the ear canal by gently pumping warm water into the ear with a syringe," says Mandal. "The water dissolves the earwax, which then comes out with the water."
How often should you clean your ears?
How often you clean your ears really depends on how quickly earwax (the medical term for earwax) builds up; It's different for every person. "The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests that most people only need to clean their ears every two to four weeks," says Villagas. "Patients with more earwax buildup may sometimes require more frequent cleaning, but this should not be done daily. » Wondering why it's not a good idea to clean your ears every day? "Paradoxically, cleaning too often can lead to higher rates of ear infections, since earwax is the body's natural defense against infection," Villagas adds.
What happens if you don't clean your ears?
You know it's a bad idea to clean your ears too often, but what happens if you don't clean them enough? "The biggest risk of not cleaning your ears regularly is earwax blockage, which is a partial or complete blockage of the ear canal and can cause itching, pain and even hearing loss," says Villagas. Additionally, in some cases, excess earwax can cause dizziness or a spinning sensation, says Mandal. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is best to see a doctor.
Ear drops to help you clean your ears
Although the doctors we spoke with advised against using cotton swabs to clean your ears, they agreed that using ear drops can help remove excess earwax. We use expert advice to select highly rated publications for you to consider.
Debrox Earwax Removal Kit
This set contains drops that contain cerumenolytic agents that help soften and loosen excess earwax. Also included is a soft rubber ball that can be inserted into the opening of your ear (not stuck in the ear canal) to extract the solution and soft earwax. To use, place five to 10 drops in each ear, leave for a few minutes, and then aspirate with the vial. This kit has an average rating of 4.2 stars from over 29,200 reviews on Amazon.
Naveh Pharma Clean Ears
These drops, which have an average rating of 4.1 stars from over 4,350 reviews on Amazon, contain spearmint oil, which has antiseptic properties and can help soften built-up wax, according to the brand. The drops have a cone-shaped nozzle that prevents you from inserting them too far into your ear canal, so there is no damage when filling them.
Otex baking powder drops
These drops are the UK's best-selling product and are available on Amazon, where they have an average rating of 4.3 stars from over 6,380 reviews. According to the brand, the formula is baking soda-based, which gently breaks down hardened wax, making it easy to clean. These drops come with a pipette for easy application.
Eosera Earwax MD Kit
These ear drops contain glycolic acid and baking soda to gently soften and dissolve earwax. To use it, put a few drops in your ear, wait 15 minutes and rinse your ears with water to remove earwax. These drops have an average rating of 4.0 stars from 2,110 reviews on Amazon.
Drops for mouse earwax removal
According to the brand, these drops contain carbamide peroxide, which softens earwax so it's easy to remove. You can use them up to twice a day for four days to clean excess earwax. Murine Drops have an average rating of 4.3 stars from 1,200 Amazon reviews.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have expertise and authority based on relevant education or experience. We also ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are provided independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Dr. Joaquín Villagas is a family physician at UTHealth Houston.
- Dr. Soma Mandal is a board-certified internist at Summit Health in New Providence, New Jersey.
Why trust NBC Select?
Bethany Heitman is a staff writer and reporter for NBC Select, regularly covering beauty, home and lifestyle. He interviewed two doctors for this story.
Explore NBC Select's in-depth coverage of personal finance , technology and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and TikTok to stay in the loop.
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