Ear wax helps protect your ear canal from outside debris and damage. Most of the time the ear canals are self-cleaning; however, occasionally, a build up of ear wax can cause a blockage that interferes with hearing. Too often, individuals use a cotton swab to clear their ears, but foreign objects should not go into your ear canal, according to MedlinePlus. There are other ways to clear a blockage and clean the ear.
Step 1
Fill an eye dropper with mineral oil. Once a day for 4 or 5 days, place 2 or 3 drops of mineral oil into each ear by tilting your head with an ear parallel to the ceiling and dropping in the mineral oil. Massage underneath the ear to make sure the mineral oil penetrates the blockage. Repeat on the other ear. This will soften the wax in preparation for irrigation, notes MayoClinic.com.
Step 2
Fill a bulb syringe with lukewarm water after 4 or 5 days of softening the ear wax. Make sure the water isn't too hot, as it can scald the delicate skin inside your ear. The temperature is perfect when you put your finger in the water and it feels neutral to the touch. Depress the bump syringe while submerged in the water and release to fill.
Step 3
Lie on your side on a flat surface with a towel nearby. Insert the tip of the bulb syringe no more than a half inch into the ear canal, and then depress the bulb syringe quickly. You'll feel a blast of water in your ear. Flip over with your irrigated ear downward on a folded towel. Allow the ear to drain. You'll likely see ear wax discharge from the ear. If your ear feels blocked, try irrigation again. When finished, repeat the process on your other ear.
Step 4
Turn your hair dryer on warm and direct it at the ear canal for a few moments to dry the ear completely if your ear still feels wet after allowing it to dry on its own.
Step 5
Washing the outer ear with a warm, wet washcloth while you're in a shower to keep your ears clean on a daily basis. Avoid cotton swabs, warns the American Academy of Otolaryngology --- Head and Neck Surgery, as they can rupture the ear drum or push wax and other debris deeper into the ear canal. Instead, just wait for the wax to naturally be pushed out of the ear where you can wipe it clean from the outer ear.
Things You'll Need
- Mineral oil
- Eye dropper
- Warm water
- Bulb syringe
- Water
- Towel
- Wash cloth
