Earwax Discussion Thread

[Greed and Death]

Earwax. We need it, it has it's functions, but when there is too much of it we sure like to get rid of it. So, how do you get rid of your excess earwax?

I use a cotton swab. I have heard that you aren't supposed to, but it does the job well in my case. It sure beats using maggots to clean your ears like this tribe in Indonesia does.

use olive oil and warm water

[Scomagia]

I’ve always cleaned my ear with an ear bud [swab]. However, for the sake of the pleasure of scratching the itchy, I succumb to my urge and dig deeper every time.

Somewhere, a physician is weeping.

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

With a qtip, but also with hydrogen peroxide

[Dumb Ideologies]

Earwax. We need it, it has it's functions, but when there is too much of it we sure like to get rid of it. So, how do you get rid of your excess earwax?

I use a cotton swab. I have heard that you aren't supposed to, but it does the job well in my case. It sure beats using maggots to clean your ears like this tribe in Indonesia does.

use olive oil and warm water

this is why popeye has such clean ears

[Yuyencia]

i am use pick

[Saiwania]

That is one of the worst things you can do. You don't want cotton fibers to get trapped in your ears, nor any other contaminents from the outside world. I find that most of the time, too much ear wax is almost never a problem. But if it is, you can rinse out what you want during a shower.

[Scomagia]

That is one of the worst things you can do. You don't want cotton fibers to get trapped in your ears, nor any other contaminents from the outside world. I find that most of the time, too much ear wax is almost never a problem. But if it is, you can rinse out what you want during a shower.

For once this is good advice from Sai. Keep things out of your ears, people!

[The New California Republic]

A food mixer.

[Bluelight-R006]

I’ve always cleaned my ear with an ear bud [swab]. However, for the sake of the pleasure of scratching the itchy, I succumb to my urge and dig deeper every time.

Somewhere, a physician is weeping.

I’m just going to assume no one read what I said.

That is one of the worst things you can do. You don't want cotton fibers to get trapped in your ears, nor any other contaminents from the outside world. I find that most of the time, too much ear wax is almost never a problem. But if it is, you can rinse out what you want during a shower.

The satisfaction of scratching that itch within you is better, and my fingers can’t fit inside the ear canal, so I don’t know how to apply that part. Though I agree with you, that it’s a bad thing.

[Abarri]

use olive oil and warm water

this is why popeye has such clean ears

I can't unsee that.

[Upper Secundus]

To be frank I just use the end of my Gladius to clean out my ears. The only problem is taking the Gladius out afterwards and dealing with a substantially larger hole where my ears should be.

[Ethel mermania]

Earwax. We need it, it has it's functions, but when there is too much of it we sure like to get rid of it. So, how do you get rid of your excess earwax?

I use a cotton swab. I have heard that you aren't supposed to, but it does the job well in my case. It sure beats using maggots to clean your ears like this tribe in Indonesia does.

Yeah... that's how you get impacted wax and end up with either an ear infection or clogged ear canals. Research how to do it but use a water/hydrogen peroxide blend in your ear to help soften the wax. Don't use to much hydrogen peroxide because it is an irritant and can cause discomfort. Usually in my case I'll either use an ear cleaning kit I have at home (little water jet thing you use to softly clear your ears) or let it naturally work its way out. Make sure to consult a doctor first though!

This. ^

We have an ear bulb and fill it with a warm water / hydrogen peroxide solution

[Northern Syria]

By sheer coincidence, after enduring a 12 hour road trip with a friend who yammered my ear off, both of my ears got so congested with earwax, I could hardly hear. The nurse ended up spraying water into my ears to help loosen up the excess wax, but I ended up having to use earwax removal drops to get the rest of it to dissolve out.

I trust the removal drops more than cotton swabs, which might push the earwax further in again, but I stick to Q-Tips since they're less of a nuisance to use.

[Partybus]

I have had to go to the emergency room because my ear was completely blocked. They extracted a wax chunk that actually made the attendant gag. He proceeded to go into the hallway yelling "OMG look at this!" And I yelled from my bed "I heard that!" Of course I was laughing because I could hear it

[Unstoppable Empire of Doom]

My fingers do not fit in my ears. Water can cause ear infections. I refuse to put hydrogen peroxide in my head. Q tips work well and are safe.

[Scomagia]

My fingers do not fit in my ears. Water can cause ear infections. I refuse to put hydrogen peroxide in my head. Q tips work well and are safe.

They are safe for the outer ear. You shouldn't put things in your ear canal.

[Psyclinbels]

water pick. like for teeth. but in the ear. if it gets bad enough to noticeably affect my hearing. happens a couple times a year.

[New Tetraland]

Once I used a pair of old scissors (the non-sharp childs kind) and dug a ton of earwax out of my ear. It felt so fulfilling with so much on the blade. I sniffed it and it smelled horrible. Out of curiosity I used a lighter to burn it (over the sink). The earwax quickly burned away but gave off brief reddish secondary flame and it snapped, crackled, and popped as it burned. The smoke smelled like burnt popcorn.

[Vrama]

When I was a kid, my doctor told my mom and I to use hydrogen peroxide. It will dissolve the earwax.

Just put a little in there, lay on your side while the earwax dissolves. Then do the same to the other ear.

Usually, though, I'm too lazy to wait that long. I just put some peroxide on a Q-tip and clean my ears that way.

[Democratic Exodian Territories]

This is a real big problem for me; I produce a lot of dry wax, so it can get irritating. I’ve had to visit the clinic multiple times for an ear irrigation.
Ear drops work, but barely enough most of the time.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Usually by pouring a few drops of hydrogen peroxide during allergy seasons. That’s when my earwax tends to be overproduced. I avoid using cotton swabs. For everyday cleaning of my outer ear, I use a damp cloth and wipe.

[Bread Herbert]

Once I used a pair of old scissors (the non-sharp childs kind) and dug a ton of earwax out of my ear. It felt so fulfilling with so much on the blade. I sniffed it and it smelled horrible. Out of curiosity I used a lighter to burn it (over the sink). The earwax quickly burned away but gave off brief reddish secondary flame and it snapped, crackled, and popped as it burned. The smoke smelled like burnt popcorn.

Boy, sick.

[Scomagia]

Usually by pouring a few drops of hydrogen peroxide during allergy seasons. That’s when my earwax tends to be overproduced. I avoid using cotton swabs. For everyday cleaning of my outer ear, I use a damp cloth and wipe.

This is what you are supposed to do!

[The Chuck]

Side note, depending on your ethnicity, you will have different types of wax. Asians are known for having a drier crumbly type of wax while Caucasians usually have a more "soft wax" consistency. I've used "ear picks" before to remove built up wax but would highly advise against it if you're uncomfortable with putting a hard object in your middle ear to literally scrape out the wax. As for those who have mentioned "ear candling" I hate to say it but that's a pseudo-science with very little backing. If you're trying to remove earwax, ear irrigation is the safest method.

[New Tetraland]

Once I used a pair of old scissors (the non-sharp childs kind) and dug a ton of earwax out of my ear. It felt so fulfilling with so much on the blade. I sniffed it and it smelled horrible. Out of curiosity I used a lighter to burn it (over the sink). The earwax quickly burned away but gave off brief reddish secondary flame and it snapped, crackled, and popped as it burned. The smoke smelled like burnt popcorn.

Boy, sick.

I just wanted to see how it burned