13 Effective Remedies To Clean Ear Wax At Home

Just plug your earphones out of your ears after listening to music? Is the end of the ear bud covered in sticky and yellowish gunk? It is necessary to clean ear wax every now and then for better hygiene.

Earwax buildup is quite common because of our body’s normal mechanism of protection against the foreign particles.

In this article, we are going to share some common remedies to remove ear wax completely and that too in the comfort of your own home.

What is Earwax?

We know that our body produces fluids and mucus to protect and cushion the body from foreign particles and attacks. Much like that, even the ear canal produces waxy oil which is known as the Cerumen. This is what we commonly know as Earwax.

The earwax is what is responsible for protecting the ears from any kind of foreign particles and organisms. It also helps protect the ear canal from the irritation often caused by water. Quite often, the earwax ends up making its way out of the canal into the ear naturally which is then washed away too.

If the same becomes hard and solid, it has the capability to block the ear canal and end up causing partial hearing loss temporarily.

How To Get Rid Of Earwax?

If you are here stuck with an unprecedented amount of earwax, there are a number of ways that you can get rid of it. Since there are possibilities of your pushing back the earwax back further into the ear canal and cause blockage, it is always best to ensure that you are careful with the process because you might often end up pushing the hardened earwax back into the ear, causing a blockage.

The earwax blockage is sometimes which often ends up causing temporary loss of hearing. It is a myth that excess production of earwax always ends up contributing to blockage because that is not always the case. Many people are often simply prone to producing more earwax which is something very common and regulated accordingly.

How To Remove Earwax At Home?

When it comes to how to remove earwax at home, the possibilities are literally endless. From getting rid of the unwanted wax to clearing the ear from a blockage, this section of the article provides you with all the information you need to carry forth getting rid of the earwax buildup.

Check Out these Effective Ways to Get Rid of Earwax Blockage.

1. Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean Earwax

If you were unaware of the fact, let me get this straight for you. Hydrogen peroxide is the basis of a majority of the eardrops that you use on a regular basis for getting rid of the earwax buildup.

Even studies (R) (R) have clarified for a fact how hydrogen peroxide is the best way to remove earwax. Contrary to some beliefs, it is also possible that while hydrogen peroxide is considered as one of the main components for softening and dissolving of the earwax, it might often be the distilled water which gets the job done.

For using hydrogen peroxide to remove earwax at home, it is better to administer any of the prescribed drops by the doctor.

What To Do?

1. Make sure that you are lying on your side with your ear facing upwards
2. Using someone’s help, administer the prescribed drops into the ear as per the requirement
3. Stay still for 5 minutes and sit up
4. Use a tissue paper to blot out the excess fluid
5. Do the same with the other ear as well

How Often?

• 2-3 times throughout the day or as prescribed by the doctor

2. Apple Cider Vinegar to Clean Earwax

Apple cider vinegar is yet another effective remedy that helps in clearing out the earwax buildup.

The combined effects of the antimicrobial (R), anti-inflammatory as well as the mild acetic acid properties helps in softening as well as dissolving the earwax in the ears and thus helps flush them out to clear out the blockage that is causing the partial loss of hearing temporarily.

That being said, vinegar and water has been a very age old remedy for earwax remove.

What To Do?

1. Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and rubbing alcohol in a bowl
2. Transfer it to a dropper bottle
3. Use this to pour a few drops of it in each ear for effective results

How Often?

• 1-2 times daily

3. Baking Soda to Clean Earwax

Baking soda has effective disinfectant (R) and antimicrobial (R) properties which help dissolve the hardened and solid earwax. Even though there are not many studies to be presented as solid evidence, this is much of a folklore which actually does provide with the amazing and effective results that one wishes for.

What To Do?

1. To 2 ounces of warm water in a cup, add ½ tablespoon of baking soda
2. Make sure that the baking soda has completely dissolved and then pour the same into a dropper bottle
3. Tilt your ear to the side and pour 5-10 drops of it into your ear and leave it for an hour and thus flush the remnants with water
4. Do the same with the other ear as well

How Often?

• Do this for a few consecutive days and you will effectively get rid of the earwax blockage

Oils to Clean Earwax

Oil treatment for earwax is possibly one of the most common home remedies that has been used all throughout the time. It not just helps in softening the hardened ear wax but is also very beneficial in getting rid of the earwax by dissolving it completely.

4. Coconut Oil for Earwax Removal

Coconut Oil has been a very potent remedy (R) for a number of health ailments and clearing out the blocked ears. The medium chain fatty acid (R) present in the coconut oil mimics that of the sebum and doesn’t negatively impact your ears or ear canal. The moisturizing property of the coconut oil helps moisturize and soften the earwax and the helps getting rid of it for good. It also possesses antimicrobial (R) properties, which can easily help prevent any form of induction of infection in the ear canal.

What To Do?

1. Heat up 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil in the microwave
2. Make sure that you check the temperature making sure that it is just warm and not hot
3. Using a dropper, pour a few drops of the warm coconut oil into the ear by tilting your head to the side
4. Let it stay for 5-10 minutes and then clean the earwax with a q-tip
5. Do the same for the other ear too

How Often?

• Do this once for a few days and that should be enough to do that trick

5. Olive Oil for Earwax Removal

Olive Oil, much like coconut oil is also rich in moisturizing and softening properties which play a key role in getting the earwax removed effectively. It makes the hardened earwax pliable which makes it easier to get it out of the ear. Studies (R) have even pointed out the fact that olive oil imposes mild antibacterial properties which is actually quite beneficial in getting rid of any possible infection.

What To Do?

1. Warm up some olive oil in the microwave
2. Before applying, make sure that you test the temperature out making sure it’s lukewarm
3. Using a dropper, pour few drops into the ear and leave it in for 5-10 minutes
4. Do this for the other ear too

How Often?

Regularly once for a few days consecutively

6. Baby Oil for Earwax Removal

Being a mild mineral oil, baby oil is an amazing remedy to remove earwax at home. If you have been looking for easy ways to clean ear wax without inflicting negative impacts on your ears, baby oil is the best option. It helps to soften and make the earwax pliable to be easily removed. It acts like a moisturizer and a lubricant and helps remove earwax in no time.

What To Do?

1. Using a dropper, pour a few drops of the baby oil into the ear canal
2. Using a cotton ball, seal the opening of the ear so it doesn’t escape out

How Often?

• Regularly consecutively for a few days

7. Almond Oil to Remove Earwax

Much like every other mentioned oil in the list, even the almond oil has beneficial lubricating properties (R) (R) which helps get rid of the hardened earwax. It helps in getting rid of it easily on multiple applications.

What To Do?

1. Using a dropper, pour a few drops of the almond oil into the ear
2. Let it sit there for 5-10 minutes and then wipe the excess off with some cotton
3. Do the same with the other ear too

How Often?

• Daily 1-2 times or as per the requirements till the excess wax is cleared out

8. Garlic Oil for Earwax Removal

Garlic doesn’t need an introduction when it comes to tending to the various health ailments that we suffer from. The combination of anti-inflammatory (R) as well as antimicrobial (R) properties of the garlic as imposed by the active compound, Allicin, is actually quite beneficial in getting rid of the associated problems imposed because of excess earwax buildup.

Not just that, the oil helps lubricate the hardened earwax while the antimicrobial properties help prevent the possible induction of infection.

What To Do?

1. In a pan heat up some oil
2. Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the oil and fry them till they started to golden
3. Do this till all the goodness of the garlic is extracted
4. Bring everything to a room temperature and transfer the oil into a dropper bottle
5. Use this to pour some drops into the ear by tilting your head to the side
6. Let it stay for 10 minutes
7. Do the same with the other ear too

How Often?

• Do this every day at night before going to sleep

9. Glycerin Oil for Earwax Removal

Glycerin is a very common ingredient in a number of eardrops which helps act as a lubricant for easy removal of earwax at home. If you have been meaning to make your own glycerin oil at home and use the same as one of the remedies to remove earwax, the same works as well. It is actually an effective lubricant (R) and moisturizer which helps soften the hardened earwax in the ear canal.

What To Do?

1. Using a dropper, pour a few drops of the glycerin oil into the ear
2. If required, thin the glycerin with some rubbing alcohol to make the solution more pliable
3. Make sure that you keep your head tilted so that the glycerin stays inside the ear
4. Do the same in both the ears

How Often?

• Repeat this process 1-2 times a day for a few consecutive days

10. Rubbing Alcohol to Clean Earwax

While the combination of hydrogen peroxide works the best when it comes how to clean earwax, the combination of rubbing alcohol with vinegar works just as good. The combination has been in use since long back in history and actually does provide with amazing results (R) which is what makes it a favourable and amazing option at hand.

What To Do?

1. Mix equal parts of rubbing alcohol with vinegar and dissolve everything together
2. Using a dropper, pour a few drops into the ear canal and keep it still
3. Hold it for 5-10 minutes and let the ingredients work their magic
4. Do the same thing for the other ear as well

How Often?

• Once daily till the complete buildup is dissolved and completely gotten rid of

11. Warm Water to Clean Earwax

I know what you must be thinking that I have gone crazy, right? Why would someone even suggest putting warm water in their ears and that too water, right? Well, it works.

The warm water has moisturizing and lubricating properties which help in softening the hard earwax and gets rid of the same easily. All you need to do is to ensure that the temperature of the water is perfect so it doesn’t harm your ear canal and also make sure that it doesn’t stay for too long.

What To Do?

Heat up some water in the microwave

1. Make sure that it is lukewarm and not hot because the same can end up affecting your hearing
2. With a dropper, add a few drops of the lukewarm water into your ears by tilting your ears to the side
3. Let it stay there for a few minutes
4. Then, tilt your head back toward the ground to ensure that the water is completely drained out the ears. If not, use some cotton swabs to do so

How Often?

• Do as required till the hardened solid wax is gotten rid of for good.

12. Saline Solution for Earwax Removal

Yet another effective factors and remedies for how to get rid of earwax is by using saline solution. Saline solution is an expert favourite because of the kind of impacts that it has on the process of removal of the earwax. Not just that, the salt in the saline solution imposes effective antimicrobial properties too which are beneficial in getting rid of any possible traces of infection in the ears.

What To Do?

1. Get your hands on the saline solution ear drops
2. Tilt your head to the side and pour a few drops of it into the ear and leave it inside for a few minutes
3. Do that to the other ear as well

How Often?

As required.

13. Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Clean Earwax

Earwax removal and the regulation of the earwax in controlled levels is also very dependent on the kind of diet that we consume. it is believed that consuming a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids is quite beneficial in regulating the production of the earwax and thus helps prevent the excess earwax buildup which often ends up causing the blockage.

What To Do?

• Increase the intake of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, walnuts, broccolis, Brussels sprouts etc.

What Causes Earwax Blockage?

Now, when it comes to listing out the possible causes behind the earwax in the ear canal, as previously mentioned, it is meant for the protection and prevention of the ear canal and regulate the smooth functioning of the ear. Any form of foreign particle and organism has the capability of inflicting damage to the ear which is why the oil like substance is secreted in the ears to create a protective covering.

And while that is quite normal, the problem starts when the secretion of the same crosses the realms of normal. The moment there is an abnormal secretion of the earwax, it starts getting accumulated inside of the ear canal, thus inflicting later problems, be it a temporary loss of hearing or even something else.

When it comes to earwax blockage, it has been noted that the most common cause behind the same is when people try to imply the home remedies on it. When we use cotton swabs, bobby pins etc., there are possibilities that you will end up pushing the earwax further inside the ear canal, thereby causing the blockage.

Symptoms of Earwax Blockage

There will be instances when you will suddenly feel like that your ears have stopped working, causing temporary loss of hearing. But are you aware of the whole ordeal of symptoms associated with the condition when your ears get blocked because of excess production of earwax?

Probably not, right?

In order to help you with the same, we have some symptoms that you need to look out for.

Some of the common symptoms of earwax blockage include:

Mild and Initial Symptoms

• Temporary loss and impairment in hearing
• Tinnitus which is the condition in which you constantly hear a buzzing or ringing sound in your ear
• A stuffy and feeling of fullness inside of the ear which makes it very uncomfortable and irritating at the same time
• Earache, if the buildup is quite a lot

Severe Symptoms

If there is an infection involved, it is always best to consult a doctor for the same.

• Extreme pain in the ear
• Persistent pain inside the ear that doesn’t necessarily subside with the administration of over the counter remedies
• A sort of drainage from the ear
• Fever and coughing
• Persistently losing the ability to listen
• A stingy and bad odour emanating from the ear
• Feeling of dizziness and lightheadedness

How Often Should Earwax Be Removed?

There is a preconceived notion in a number of people that you need to clean your ears every other week or so to ensure that there is no blockage or earwax buildup in the ears. That being said, it is also necessary to ensure that you do so correctly because one of the most common reasons behind the blockage is because of the wide range of remedies for earwax removal.

Whatever the notion be, know for a fact that it is not necessarily required for you to clean your ear every other week. The ears have the capability of cleaning themselves which is why it is not mandatory to consistently poke them with a swab.

The cleaning should only be done to soften the ear wax and remove the earwax that is present outside of the ear canals and not push it back inside.

If you have been looking for ways to clean earwax, the best way to do so is by ensuring that you follow the steps and remedies mentioned above because they actually do work. Ensure that you follow the safety precautions and proceed ahead accordingly. These above mentioned remedies to remove earwax at homework to provide with the very best results which are required to avoid any kind of buildup and blockage.