The American Academy of Otolaryngology warns that the common technique of cleaning the ears with cotton swabs can simply push the wax in further. Wax buildup and impacted wax can cause earache, ringing in the ears and partial hearing loss, as well as itching and odor. Home earwax removal kits use oil-based drops to soften the wax and a bulb syringe to wash out the ear canal.
Step 1
Lie on your side and squeeze five to 10 drops of the softener solution into your ear canal. Keep the tip of the bottle from touching your ear to avoid contaminating the contents.
Step 2
Continue to lie on your side for 10 minutes while the ear drops do their work. You can also plug your ear with cotton if you need to move around.
Step 3
Turn on the faucet, allow the water to warm up and place the tip of the bulb syringe under the stream. Squeeze the bulb several times to fill up the syringe.
Step 4
Insert the tip of the syringe into the ear without sticking it into the ear canal. Water should be able to flow freely out of your ear when you irrigate it.
Step 5
Lean over the sink and squeeze the syringe. Water will squirt into your ear and wash out the softened earwax.
Step 6
Repeat the treatment with the other ear. According to Murine.com, you can use the earwax remover kit twice daily for up to four days.
Things You'll Need
- Ear wax removal kit
