Ear wax is a gooey substance that coats the inside of the ear canal. Ear wax is beneficial to the ear because it helps trap dirt, bacteria and foreign objects like insects, preventing them from entering the ear canal or damaging the eardrum. Sometimes, ear wax can harden and collect inside the ear, causing a blockage. If your ear is impacted with wax, you can use home remedies to remove it, says the Mayo Clinic. Consult a doctor before using home remedies to clean your ears.
Step 1
Fill an eyedropper with hydrogen peroxide, then carefully place a few drops in the afflicted ear. Hydrogen peroxide will help soften the ear wax that has hardened inside the ear canal, says the MayoClinic.com. Repeat two times a day for up to five days.
Step 2
Flush out the ear with water two days into the hydrogen peroxide treatment. Use an ear irrigation kit, available over-the-counter at the drugstore, to wash the ear. Place the rubber bulb syringe into a bowl of warm water, then squeeze the bulb to fill the syringe. Place the point of the syringe into the ear, then squeeze the bulb to release the water. Tilt your head over the sink to remove the water and wax from the ear, says the MayoClinic.com.
Step 3
Use a blow dryer to dry out the ear after showering or irrigating. Set the blow dryer to the lowest setting, then carefully hold the dryer in front of the ear until it is completely dry.
Step 4
Place a few drops of an over-the-counter ear wax softener, carbamyl peroxide, in the ear, recommends ear, nose and throat doctor, Douglas Hoffman, M.D., Ph.D. Carbamyl peroxide ear drops are available over the counter at drugstores. Use the medication exactly as directed.
Step 5
Swab the opening of the ear canal and the outside of the ear with a cotton swab, but do not attempt to dig out the blockage, says Dr. Hoffman. Sticking a cotton swab inside the ear will jam the ear wax farther into the ear canal.
Tips and Warnings
- Place a few drops of glycerin in the ear if you do not have hydrogen peroxide on hand, suggests the MayoClinic.com.
- Consult a doctor if the ear wax blockage cannot be remedied with at-home care.
Things You'll Need
- Eyedropper
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Ear irrigation kit
- Blow dryer
- Carbamyl peroxide
- Cotton swab
