There’s often confusion on the issue of cleaning your ears, you know you have to clean them because they look yucky when the ear wax is overflo0win to the outside. But then you worry about how often you should do it because you once heard your high school Life Sciences teacher telling you that ear wax is good and is supposed to be kept. How much of it is good through?
Well, the fact that there are different ways to clean your ears suggested by health experts means that you actually have to clean them. This is a guide on how to wipe them properly so that you don’t cause problems for yourself.
Damp cloth: The CNET publication states that since your finger cannot enter the ear canal, any buildup of ear wax may typically be removed by gently wiping the exterior of the canal with a moist towel.
Ear drops: Online medical information and health publication, Healthline states that you can also use over-the-counter eardrops containing mineral oil, baby oil, glycerin, peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, or saline.
Rinse the ear canal: According to Harvard Medical School, you can often rinse off any ear wax that seems to be persistently stuck to your ear canal. “Soak a cotton ball in warm water, a saline solution, mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide, then hold it over your ear canal and tilt your opposite ear toward the floor. After you let it drip in and soak into the wax for a minute or so, tilt your head the other way and let the softened wax drip out.’
Bulb syringe: Healthline also states that you can use a syringe to irrigate your ears, using water or a saline solution to gently empty the ear canal throughout this procedure. “This method is often more effective if you first use some type of wax softener 15 to 30 minutes before irrigating. It’s best to warm the solution to your body temperature to avoid dizziness.”
Also see: Unlocking the secrets to fresh breath: The dry mouth connection
