How to Clean Your Ears Safely

For most of us out there, using cotton swabs to clean our ears is an activity we seem to enjoy quite a lot. Using a cotton swab to extract all that wax not only feels good, but, according to most of us, it works wonders too. Despite the obvious attachment to cotton swabs, you would be surprised to know that they aren’t meant to be used to clean delicate areas of our body, not least our ears.

Why shouldn’t you use a cotton swab to clean your ears? 

The answer is simple: your ears are one of the most delicate and fragile areas of the body. Highly sensitive and extremely prone to damage, your ears can be easily injured. Therefore, once you use a cotton swab and plough it through your ears, you are likely to cause some sort of damage. While that damage may not be too great at first, it can eventually build up and cause a serious injury which might even amount to a hearing deficiency.

Sounds scary, right? It should. Our ears function in a way that the cleaning process is automated. The wax in the ear works to trap debris. Once the oil and the debris mix, the result is hard wax.  This hard wax is then flushed out over time and the process repeats itself.

Though, if you are not satisfied with the way nature works and want to have a say, there are certain techniques through which you can clean your ears.

1.) Wash with water

When hard wax builds up in our ears, water can be used to flush it out. While your ears are washed when you shower, it does not necessarily have to be limited to whenever you take a shower. Apart from showering, you can gently wash your ears in a way that the water does not travel all the way inside. However, if it does travel inside, you should try and extract it as quickly as possible.

2.) Earwax remover solutions

Body cleaning products such as solutions and liquids are often a great way to keep yourself healthy and the same goes for earwax removing solutions. Readily available in almost all medical and health stores, these products can be used to eliminate the debris and the wax accumulated inside the ears. The usage is simple and requires you to put in a few drops in both ears. For best results, it is recommended that the solution is used twice a day.

3.) Use oil

As mentioned earlier, oil can be used to extract the debris and keep your ears from getting dirty. Oil such as mineral or baby oil can be used to keep your ears clean and pull out all the dirt from deep inside the ears.  Another benefit of using oil is that it helps soften the wax, making it easier for you to plough it out fast.