Ear cleaning tips?

Some people naturally produce more earwax than others. Using a cotton swab doesn't actually clean anything; it just pushes thick wax deeper against the eardrum. If you're too aggressive with it, you risk causing actual damage, like a ruptured eardrum.
If you happen to be someone with heavier secretion, you should have your ears flushed periodically by your primary care physician using lukewarm water (usually a nurse handles this), or you can simply put a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide into the ear at home. It’s an easy way to dissolve the oils and clear out the buildup.
For everyone else, standard cleaning during your shower is plenty.

As for those other "inquisitorial" methods—the kind that even Torquemada would find too extreme to endorse—those are only recommended for masochists or anyone with a BDSM fetish.😈

Spurred on by this thread, I decided to go out and seek some professional advice. As it turns out, those cotton swabs are actually making things worse. My esthetician mentioned a treatment involving a specialized roller about a year ago, so I finally went ahead and booked an appointment for this Friday. We'll see how it goes...

restlesstiger31 said:After seeing this post, I decided to go get some advice. Turns out, those cotton swabs actually make things worse. My esthetician mentioned a specialized cleaning treatment about a year ago, so I finally booked an appointment for Friday. We'll see how it goes...

Let us know how it turns out

It seems like I wasn't quite understood...
If you’re out there trying to clean your ears once a month, you’re probably just going to end up making the blockage even worse.
But if you actually stay on top of it regularly—properly—that’s never going to happen.

I tried it on myself—well, my ears specifically. The verdict? My ears have never been cleaner, before or after. But honestly, I think it crosses the line into "over-cleaned." It feels like it strips away that natural protection for the eardrums, so you might want to skip the concerts or loud clubs for a few days. I personally went to a show and ended up pissed off because the volume felt overwhelming, while the guys at Fender were just staring at me like I was losing it.

steelsailor17 said:It seems I wasn't quite understood.
If you only decide to clean your ears once a month, you'll probably just end up clogging them further.
But if you maintain a regular routine? That won't be an issue.

Well, everyone has to start somewhere...😉

I use cotton swabs pretty regularly, just every day after I hop out of the shower. I don’t go digging around too deep or anything, I just use them to soak up any leftover moisture. I've never even had that situation where the swab comes out covered in yellow gunk like I've seen happen to some people.

For anyone else out there struggling with excessive earwax buildup, though, there's this ear cleaning solution—I think it's called 3M or something similar. You just drop a bit into your ear.

Casey Palmer5
I’m glad someone finally gets what I’m saying!
Seriously, thank you—it’s refreshing to find someone on the same page, unlike the rest of these people who either refuse to clean their ears at all or think they need a doctor to do it for them... 😁

Please, I need some help..

Does anyone know where I can pick this up in Washington, D.C.?
I deal with constant ear congestion issues, and this stuff actually works.

I honestly have no clue where you’d even track that stuff down locally, but I saw someone mentioning those wax ear candles in a DM once—you know, the ones you stick in your ear and light on fire? They actually work wonders, they're super effective, and they won't break the bank either. Personally, they did the trick for me and cleared everything right out perfectly.

Usually, I just tell my patients to stick to using their finger or a washcloth—basically whatever they can reach comfortably—with some lukewarm water and soap.

And honestly? Skip those little baby swabs for your ears. Doesn't matter if you're an infant or an adult, they shouldn't be used. All they do is shove the wax deeper, which just ends up creating a plug and messing with your hearing...

If the wax has already hardened, your best bet is to see a doctor. They might be able to clear it out themselves, or they’ll prescribe some ear drops to soften everything up. Once it's soft, it either clears out on its own or makes it way easier for the doc to flush the canal out properly.

bluedriver2 said:If the earwax has already become quite hard, I truly believe the best course of action is to visit a physician. They can either attempt to clear the blockage themselves or, more likely, prescribe some specialized ear drops. Those drops work to soften the wax, allowing it to either migrate out naturally or making it much easier for the doctor to perform a safe irrigation of the ear canal later on.

Alternatively, you could try using those ear syringing kits—honestly, they are a total lifesaver.
And frankly, the local pharmacy prices are just ridiculous; I saw a single kit there for nearly $17, whereas I actually went ahead and ordered a six-pack from an online medical supply company for only $33.