Skip to content
HearingTracker
Log in

Dr Cliff dubious advice BEST Way to Clean Earwax From Your Ears | How to Use Qtips Correctly

This topic is closed.

44 replies4.4k viewsLast reply

Jump
Link to this topic

I’ve been using Q-tips to clean my ears for close to 60 years. My wife and kids use them as well. Use to have a family doctor that would tell me how clean my ears were, and then say “you’re cleaning them with Q-tips, right?” Every audiologist and hearing aid fitter always tells me my ears are very clean. Obviously there’s a right way to do it without pushing wax inward or damaging your eardrums.

In addition to using moistened Qtips, I also have a digital otoscope (<$50 online e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PHLG4C2/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07PHLG4C2&pd_rd_w=P1A8o&pf_rd_p=5d846283-ed3e-4512-a744-a30f97c5d738&pd_rd_wg=0sLzj&pf_rd_r=FT6D6DKZJ8B9EBAVA5JD&pd_rd_r=1645f4e1-0582-4d70-8b48-4d8d3ae375f1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNUhZSjlPOEpHNUc4JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjM5ODY1M0tVVkdPT1c1U0lUWSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjg3Mjg0WTdZT0RGSEdJSTVIJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfZGV0YWlsX3RoZW1hdGljJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==51) that connects with iPhone which gives me a live picture of ear canals and can record a video as well. As a tool I’d probably give it 3.5 stars. Image is mirror and upside down so takes getting used to the odd orientation. I use it on occasion to a) determine whether ear canal needs cleaning; b) whether there is nothing odd going on so I would proceed at home - this has always been the case; and/or c) to confirm after cleaning that the results are what I want. Since this is usually the case, the odd image orientation is not an issue as I am not trying to figure out whether that area “missed” in cleaning is 1/3rd of the way in and at top and left.

The digital otoscope and cable are a bit awkward to use on oneself but manageable. For those who go frequently for “professional” cleaning, the tool might be a good investment if it lets you postpone an appointment since you can see yourself that your ears might be sufficiently clean. For others () it might be a tool to consider, however if the approach you have been using for years has worked well for you probably no point in fixing what isn’t broken.

I have no affiliation with the seller of the digital otoscope, and I am not recommending that you take care of your ear health yourself - decide for yourself.

The Otoscope is a bit much for me at this stage, but if I were still having problems with wax buildup/infections I would be all over it. Good find, and good idea! It would be very reassuring to see what exactly is going on in there.

In reply to @Edma

There are also cordless otoscopes if you search. The one I found is a wireless hotspot. It also has some dangerous looking scoops to remove wax. I don’t use those. I bought it to look into my ear after three visits to an E.N.T. It was obviously full of crap. I told him to vacuum it out and problem solved. A nurse practitioner, hearing test lady and the E.N.T didn’t see it? Must have had boat payments due or something.

@jewfoo, I just watched this YouTube from Dr. Cliff–

–and he seems to be saying the opposite of what you’re saying. He strongly recommends against using Q-tips. Can you share a link to the YouTube in which he advocates for using Q-tips?

I had badly impacted earwax in both ears a month or so into the first lockdown, no syringing available from my local GP (worked well 2 or 3 times in the past) and private microsuction was closed and would have been £80 for both ears (seemed an aweful lot) even if it had been open. The only advice I could get was olive oil. My audi took a look and reported a mass of grey-ish mess - the olive oil might have been softening the earwax but was doing nothing to get it out.

After several weeks of alternating olive oil and a peroxide-based product for a few days each I was getting desperate, with the only advice, keep on with the same and ON NO ACCOUNT do anything else - you might puncture your eardum!

I looked at several options (instantly dismissing my daughters suggestion of ear candles!). I looked at water bulbs but wasn’t sure how you’d sterilise it after use. Eventually I got a 1ml plastic pipette - I reckonned I surely couldn’t do much damage with that so long as I didn’t insert it into the ear canal even as far as my domes go. A few days of the (water-miscible) peroxide-based product then maybe 4 or 5 squirts of warm water from the pipette and a TON of yukky mess came out. The difference was wonderful!

So I’ve lost faith in olive oil. Maybe it’s helpful well before the earwax becomes impacted, but once it does it seems to be useless - or worse. A 5ml plastic pipette might be even better.

That will irrigate an ear but the volume is rather small I think.
I have used these on occaision…

image

12 ml, that volume will maintain some warmth for a minute or two which is helpful. Wal mart want $8.00 each or $7.50 for a 4 pack (???). Or your dentist will probably just give you one.
They are also excellent for irrigating sinus’ .

In reply to @Freedom

The problem is that hearing aids tend to push ear wax back into the ear that naturally would escape and does for people who don’t wear aids. Fortunately for me my wife helps keep my ears clean. God bless her because I sure as hell can’t see what I’m doing. My Audi uses hydrogen peroxide and then after a couple of minutes flushes it out with water

In reply to @Torbill

@Torbill said:

So, who are the people behind the perforated ear drums? Are they normal people who are performing a procedure that is inherently too risky? Or are they diving board jumpers, who are candidates for the Darwin Award?

I seem to recall that in both cases they had a habit of leaving the qtip sticking out of their ears and doing other stuff. So . . . Darwin award.

@philip.leriche said:

So I’ve lost faith in olive oil. Maybe it’s helpful well before the earwax becomes impacted, but once it does it seems to be useless - or worse. A 5ml plastic pipette might be even better.

For a lot of people, flushing ones own ears is fine. Do it sitting down and with warm water so as to avoid giving yourself vertigo if you are at all a fall risk. Don’t use a stupid amount of pressure. The biggest risk of flushing your own ears, generally, is that you don’t get all of the wax out and the water goes in behind it and sits around and causes an ear infection.

@StevenC56 said:

Every audiologist and hearing aid fitter always tells me my ears are very clean. Obviously there’s a right way to do it without pushing wax inward or damaging your eardrums.

There are a lot of people who DON’T use qtips whose ears are very clear. You may just not make much earwax.

cliff is right on

i used to go the clinic and have the nurses flush my ears after soaking them in olive oil for a couple days before, it worked but i had to sometimes wait for an appointment and maybe waited until the last minute so lost some hearing while i waited for my appointment

so i bought an elephant ears knockoff spray bottle

i tried the murine stuff, didn’t work
tried another brand which didn’t
i tried hydrogen peroxide, didn’t work

then i tried the stuff he recommends, ear wax md and a tiny, tiny bit left in my ear for 15 minutes followed by a good flushing just basically power washed my ears, especially when i added some hydrogen peroxide

the results were unlike anything i have tried

something in their formula works like magic, at least on my ears and i definitely get wax buildup as a result of my aids

ear wax md is worth a try

I looked at ear wax md and others and what I was seeing though is that it is really not for extended use. Once or twice yes, but regularly, every month, seemed not recommended. I started taking a shower each morning, rinsing with a bulb (basically a couple gentle squirts in each ear) using my finger to wash, then drying with some rolled up toilet paper. Seems to be making a big difference. I had been changing every 3-4 days and have gone over a week since I started so somewhat promising :wink:

Edited

In reply to @frogman

@frogman said:

something in their formula works like magic,

It’s the glycolic acid, been used as a skin clenser for years. Dissolves grease,"dead’ skin, tightens skin, removes blackheads, and so on.
It is effective but I think I agree that frequent use is questionable. Earwax is there for a reason, so is the topmost layer of our skin, constantly removing them and then sticking a foriegn object in your ears is, IMHO, asking for irritation.
B ut once in a while? Sure, clean your ears and give them a youthful, healthy, young, glow.

yeah, i only use the cleaner when i am not hearing well because of wax
i don’t clean on a regular basis
whatever is in the formula is magic to me
and i only used half the recommended dose
and it just melted a bunch of wax
i am so happy with the results since i feel like i have some control over the cleaning of my ears

Edited

In reply to @philip.leriche

The olive oil (or other neutral oil like mineral oil, vegetable oil) is only to soften the wax and reduce dryness in the ear. My told me that it was mostly dryness (exfoliated dry skin cells) not wax that was causing my problems so it may depend on your individual situation. I started using the oil, one drop each ear once a week, right after having the blockage removed from my ears and I have had no problem since.

This is true of olive oil. It also makes extraction much easier if that needs to happen. The little spray bottles are great.

We see 40+ wax removals a week here for Microsuction. The very worst of those are compacted into bony last 1/3 of the canal with Q-tips. Worse still they contain cotton fibres which keeps the wax bound tightly together, especially as it dries, which means the wax extraction is more painful and more dangerous near the Tympanic membrane. Should you get a subsequent bacterial infection with a canal-plug in place, then be prepared for a late diagnosis, lots of goo and potential primary and secondary pain.

We’ll see something referrable during wax removal about weekly/fortnightly, but canal wall bruising is way more common. If you have soft wax then by all means gently flush it out with a bulb. If it’s solid; seek help.

Q-tips are the worst for some people; especially if you have narrow canals……acting like you’re packing a cannon isn’t an ideal solution.

count me as another q-tip user. 54 years old and have been doing it pretty much since I was old enough to bathe myself…after pretty much every shower I’ve taken…so what, 20,000 to 30,000 cleanings maybe.
I have heard “clean ears” from the audi and docs more times than I can even estimate
One time just a few years ago (before the aids) I wet to the doc with an ear ache and it turned out to be impacted. Can’t really explain that. They flushed with water and all good. Since I’ve had the aids I have played around with using debrox or peroxide and a few times flushing with water on roughly maybe 6 week intervals when my ears get a bit itchy…but I’m not really convinced it does much of anything better…

Found these on Farcebook. They all look the same but different pricing deals. Maybe worth a try for those with excessive wax.

https://www.stylishanswer.com/products/innovative-spring-ear-wax-cleaner-tool-set?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=Others&utm_campaign=23848167361510179&utm_term=23848167361560179&utm_content=23848167361610179&fbclid=IwAR0im2FLe7MQVMiXWOeMlNBcNBFsLo1tvaLwkut8AKI14JGGdJ1vTWcgVOA13

https://delobe.com/products/spring-ear-wax?fbclid=IwAR0u67hfLITD3PJInKWS7ne9J8jQrZ2pbcyVuEe6MNhPG_k7I_hxY4y8arw4

https://www.pinesnut.com/products/EarWax?fbclid=IwAR13ZO2I6vn1hdoxcs8ybJZPjdjBRvivqGMHilqjp1wXNe1udorrbTui-Fs&variant=1894364411

If sticking a Q tip in your ear is a bad idea,tually figured out that a Q Tip was a l what is sticking a few stainless steel curettes in them? Heck, my mom used to use hair pins in my ears and I even figured out that a Q tip was far safer than cold steel.

Active discussions

What the forum has been talking about this week.