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Most body parts are fairly easy to keep clean — just rub on some soap and rinse it off. One area that may feel a little trickier? Your ears. As ear wax accumulates, it may be tempting to stick a cotton swab in your canal to clear it out. But the medical experts I spoke to said that it can be dangerous and damage your ear canal.
So, how are you supposed to clean your ears? I asked doctors that exact question. Below, they give tips on the safest way to clean your ears, reveal how often you need to do it and discuss what happens if you don’t keep this part of your body clean. Plus, I rounded up a few ear cleaner recommendations based on their guidance.
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What is the best way to clean your ears?
Before diving into how to clean your ears, it’s important to go over techniques you should avoid. “It is advised to avoid placing any items inside the ears, such as cotton swabs, since this can cause damage to the canal or even rupture the thin and delicate tympanic membrane, which can lead to hearing loss,” says Dr. Joaquin Villegas, a family medicine physician at UTHealth Houston. “Cotton swabs can still be used for the cleaning of the outer ear but should not be inserted into the inner ear.” In addition to avoiding cotton swabs, Villegas says you should avoid popular trends like using ear candling and olive oil sprays to clean out wax.
Instead, there are a few other options experts say you can utilize if you feel like wax is building up in your ears. They are:
- Use a damp cloth: “This is the safest method for most people,” says Dr. Soma Mandal, a board-certified internist at Summit Health in New Providence, New Jersey. Simply dampen a washcloth with warm water and gently clean the outer part of your ear.” It is important not to try to stick the wash cloth in your inner ear, which could cause irritation.
- Try ear drops: Patients clean their ears with cerumenolytic agents, which help loosen ear wax, says Villegas, who notes that there are many over-the-counter options available. Mandal suggests using these drops for a few days and says the wax will soften enough to come out independently.
- See a doctor for ear irrigation: If your earwax is built up and impacting your hearing, you may need to see a doctor for help. “A healthcare professional can irrigate the canal, which involves using a syringe to gently pump warm water into the ear,” says Mandal. “The water loosens the earwax, which then drains out with the water.”
How often should you clean your ears?
How often you clean your ears really depends on how quickly cerumen (the medical term for earwax) builds up — it’s different for everyone. “The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests that most people only need to clean their ears every two to four weeks,” says Villegas. “Patients with more cerumen accumulation may sometimes need more frequent cleaning but it should not be a daily occurrence.” Wondering why it’s not a great idea to clean your ears daily? “Too-frequent cleaning can paradoxically lead to higher rates of ear infection since earwax is the body’s natural way of protecting against infections,” adds Villegas.
What happens if you don’t clean your ears?
You know cleaning your ears too frequently is not a great idea, but what happens if you don’t clean them enough? “The biggest risk of not cleaning ears regularly is cerumen impaction, which is partial or complete blockage of the ear canal and can lead to itching, pain and even hearing loss,” says Villegas. In addition, in some cases, excessive earwax can cause dizziness or a sense of the room spinning, says Mandal. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consult with a doctor.
Ear drops that help you clean your ears
Though doctors I spoke to recommended staying away from cotton swabs when cleaning your ears, they did agree that using ear drops can help get rid of an excess of wax. Here are some highly rated drops for you to consider, all selected with expert guidance in mind.
This kit comes with drops that contain cerumenolytic agents, which help soften and loosen excess earwax. It also comes with a soft, rubber bulb syringe that can be placed at the opening of your ear (don’t stick it in the canal) to suck out the solution and softened wax. To use, place five to ten drops in each ear, let it sit for a few minutes and then use the bulb to suction.
These drops contain spearmint oil, which has antiseptic properties and can help soften accumulated wax, according to the brand. The drops have a cone-shaped nozzle that prevents you from sticking it too far into your ear canal, ensuring you don’t do any damage as you add them.
According to the brand, the formula is made from sodium bicarbonate, which gently breaks down hardened wax so it can easily be wiped away. These drops, a best-selling product in the United Kingdom, come with a dropper for easy application.
These ear drops contain glycolic acid and sodium bicarbonate to soften and break down ear wax gently. To use, place a few drops in your ear, wait 15 minutes and rinse your ears out with water to wash away the wax.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Dr. Joaquin Villegas is a family medicine physician at UTHealth Houston.
- Dr. Soma Mandal is a board-certified internist at Summit Health in New Providence, New Jersey.
Why trust NBC Select?
I am a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, I interviewed two doctors.
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