Do You Use Cotton Swabs in Your Ears? Then Stop!

Do you use cotton swabs to clean your ears? Unfortunately, that could cause more harm than good. Doctors advise against using Q-tips for ear cleaning. We explain why.

Admittedly, cleaning your ears with a Q-tip leaves you with a clean and somewhat satisfied feeling. Unfortunately, the cleaning ritual with the cotton swab is actually counterproductive, and can even be harmful. Improper use could lead to piercing your eardrum at worst — a very painful matter. But even when used correctly, a Q-tip has no place in your ear. Earwax gets pushed deeper into the ear canal Even though some residue can be seen on the Q-tip after using it, you’ve also simultaneously pushed lots of earwax further back into the canal. The reason: the ear canal tapers off inward, like a funnel. If you try to clean a funnel with a cotton swab, you’ll quickly notice that it clogs and gets stuck. The same happens in the ear. Besides, our bodies have a good reason for producing earwax. For example, it protects against the infiltration of unwanted particles, or even insects.

How to clean your ears without Q-tips

The body transports earwax outward towards the outer ear on its own, via fine hairs in the ear canal. This can be cleaned easily and safely with lukewarm water and a washcloth. Yet, you shouldn’t clean any deeper than that at home. If you’re looking for an especially thorough ear cleaning every now and then, you should pay a visit to an ear, nose, and throat doctor.