Should You Clean You or Your Child’s Ears?
As an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist, one of the more common questions I hear is: “Should I be cleaning my ears?” It’s a reasonable question, especially given how ingrained the use of cotton swabs and other cleaning tools is in our culture. However, the answer may surprise you — in most cases, no, you should not be cleaning your or your child’s ears. Here’s why.
Understanding Earwax: It’s Not Dirty — It’s Protective
Cerumen, commonly known as earwax, is often misunderstood. Many people see it as dirt or waste, but in fact, it’s a crucial part of your body’s natural
defense system. Earwax is produced by glands in the ear canal and serves three primary purposes:
• Traps dust and debris, preventing them from reaching the eardrum.
• Creates a slightly acidic environment that helps prevent infections.
• Moisturizes the ear canal, reducing itchiness and irritation.
From an ENT perspective, earwax is not something to be feared or scrubbed away, but rather respected as part of your ear’s natural self-cleaning system.
When Ear Cleaning Becomes Harmful
The widespread use of cotton swabs, bobby pins, ear candles, and other instruments inside the ear canal often does more harm than good. In my practice, I’ve seen patients with irritation of the ear canal and bleeding, chronic infections, and impacted wax caused by aggressive at-home cleaning.
Common complications include:
• Wax impaction: Pushing wax deeper into the canal can block sound, causing temporary hearing loss or pain.
• Injury to the ear canal: The skin inside the canal is very delicate and easily scratched, which can lead to bleeding and even infection.
• Eardrum perforation: Accidental punctures from sharp objects can cause serious damage and hearing loss by damaging the ear drum. This more commonly occurs when you are cleaning another person’s ear.
If you feel the urge to clean- stop and consider that you could worsen the problem. Ear wax is annoying chronic infection, hearing loss and damage to the ear canal are much more serious.
When You Should Seek Ear Cleaning
While routine cleaning isn’t necessary, there are exceptions. Some people are more prone to wax buildup due to narrow ear canals, excessive hair growth in the ears, or naturally higher wax production. You should seek professional care if you experience:
• Hearing changes or muffled sound
• A sensation of fullness in the ear
• Ringing or buzzing (tinnitus)
• Dizziness or balance issues
• Ear pain or itching
In these cases, we use safe techniques such as suction, specialized instruments, or gentle irrigation to remove wax without damaging the ear canal or eardrum.
What You Can Do at Home
The best way to care for your ears at home is minimal manipulation of the ear canal.
• Don’t insert anything into your ear canal — ever.
• Wipe only the outer ear with a warm damp washcloth if needed.
• Use ear drops (such as mineral oil or over the counter cerumenolytics such as Debrox or Cerumenex) occasionally if you’re prone to buildup — but only under guidance. Never use OTC the counter ear drops if you or your child has had ear surgery without clearance from me.
Bottom Line: Trust Your Ears
Your ears are impressively self-sufficient. Most of the time, they do not need your help to stay clean. As an ENT, I emphasize this simple rule: If you’re not having symptoms, leave your ears alone.
If you are having symptoms, don’t try to fix the problem yourself. Please call us or an appointment. Your hearing is too valuable to risk with DIY fixes.
