Specifically, you can wipe down the pinna, which encompasses those outer ear folds and your earlobe. You should also hit behind your ears. But the outer ear canal is not a part of the ear that you should clean, Dr. Voigt says. It might seem harmless to take your little pinkie finger and dig in your ear to dislodge a bit of wax at the beginning of your ear canal, but you really shouldn’t do it. Why? Because going rogue this way can cause a host of complications. You might push earwax farther into your ear, which can cause an earwax blockage. This happens when the sticky stuff accumulates or hardens and your body can’t discard it naturally, the Mayo Clinic explains. Or you can accidentally tear or puncture the layer of tissue that protects your eardrum, the Mayo Clinic says. This is called a perforated eardrum. Both of these things can mess with your hearing, BTW.
So, really, stick with Dr. Voigt’s advice and gently wipe down the outer part of your ears in the shower. After you’re done cleaning your ears? “Just dry [them] with your towel,” Dr. Voigt says. Again, Dr. Voigt emphasizes staying away from your ear canal. “I tell people to put their finger in their towel and kind of just mark the opening of the ear. This way you’ll remove any unsightly wax from debris and any material that would be visible, but you’re not going into the canal, which would disrupt the natural cleaning process.”
Here are some tips to remember when cleaning your ears.
Some people produce more earwax than others.
Much like some people sweat more than others, some folks produce more earwax than others, Dr. Voigt says. For some, the wax “keeps building on itself…so there are people that will create the equivalent of a Tootsie Roll of wax in their ear canal,” Dr. Voigt explains. This isn’t a huge deal unless you feel like you’re constantly building up so much wax that you wind up with blockages that make it hard to hear.
Your earbuds can hint at wax issues.
If you’re someone who is perpetually attached to your earbuds, they might help you figure out if it’s time to get your ears checked. If you notice a ton of wax on your earbuds every time you remove them, “that means there’s probably a wax buildup inside,” Dr. Voigt says. If you’re seeing a lot of wax and also feel like you need to use your earbuds at maximum volume, that could also be an indication that you have a blockage and could benefit from chatting with your doctor.
Trying to remove the wax yourself can result in earwax blockages.
Before you run to the bathroom to clean your ears until they sparkle, keep in mind that a doctor is the best person to remove significant amounts of earwax from your ears. In fact, when you get overzealous about making sure your ears have no visible wax, you increase your chances of earwax blockage, the Mayo Clinic explains.
Seriously, earwax is normal.
Yup, we’re going to say it again for good measure: Earwax isn’t the enemy! In addition to protecting your ears from dust and dirt, “It’s a waterproof agent,” Dr. Voigt says. “So when water goes in, the wax protects the skin, and then it’ll bead up…so it’s protection from infection.” You need some wax in your ears to keep yourself healthy. Keep this in mind when you’re tempted to rid your ears of wax completely.
There are more than a few things to avoid when cleaning your ears.
The overarching rule here is to leave your ears alone except for the gentlest cleaning of the exterior parts, but the list below goes into specifics about the things you should avoid. TL;DR? Don’t stick anything in your ear without consulting your provider first.
Put down the cotton swabs, bobby pins, and other small structures.
Did you know that cotton swab packages often have a warning that explicitly tells you not to use them in your ears? Using them to remove earwax actually pushes wax farther into your ear, the Mayo Clinic explains. Additionally, cotton can cause tiny cuts or microabrasions in your ear, which can increase your chances of getting an ear infection, Dr. Voigt says. This is actually the opposite of what you’re looking for when you set out to remove wax from your ears.
