Top Ear-Cleaning Methods to Avoid

In general, you don’t need to clean your ears that often. Most audiologists will recommend you clean them once a month, or every two weeks if you start seeing an excessive amount of wax building up in your ears.

When it comes to ear cleaning, there are many different methods out there. Some are more popular than others, but also may be very dangerous. To ensure you practice safe ear cleaning, here are some of the techniques you absolutely must avoid:

Cotton buds

Cotton buds are a dangerous method of cleaning your ears. Ironically, they’re also the most popular ear-cleaning options out there. The problem is that you shouldn’t put anything in your ears that can fit down the ear canal. Immediately, you risk pushing too far and coming into contact with your eardrum. This means you may rupture it, causing immense pain!

Furthermore, they’re just not effective at cleaning your ears. They don’t get rid of much wax and can cause frequent impactions.

Candling

Candling is one of the most ineffective ways you can clean your ears. Those who advocate it will claim it helps create a vacuum around your ear that pulls out all the wax inside it. The actual method of doing this involves inserting a lit candle into your ear as you lie on your side.

There is no scientific evidence to prove that the wax you see is coming from your ear. In fact, you’re more likely to burn yourself or damage your ear canal during candle insertion.

Irrigation

Home irrigation is not recommended due to the delicate nature of your eardrum. When you try to irrigate your earwax impactions at home, you’re more likely to use the wrong amount of pressure and make the buildup worse.

Now, there is a safe way of putting water in your ears, and it’s called syringing. Here, your audiologist will gently irrigate your ears using a soft flow of water. It doesn’t harm you and can help soften earwax.

In reality, there are only two safe methods of ear cleaning at home. The first is to use softening products and the second is to use a warm cloth to just clean the outer ear of any excess wax. If neither of these methods helps, then you should see an audiologist for professional ear cleaning. They can provide irrigation or other techniques that are very effective and performed safely.