4 Myths About Ear Cleaning

Have you ever heard the saying, the smallest thing that you should put inside of your ear is your elbow? Though it’s a fairly mad statement that might be a little strange out of context, when discussing how one should clean their ears it’s a very common phrase that certainly stops people in their tracks.

The number of myths and misconceptions that surround ear cleaning is seemingly endless, and few people genuinely know how to clean their ears in a safe, thorough way. Fortunately, this guide exists to debunk four of the most popular myths that surround ear cleaning, allowing you to maintain healthy, hygienic ears while benefiting from the best level of hearing possible! So, if you’re ready to learn more, then simply read on.

Cotton Swabs Are a Safe Way to Clean Your Ears

Far too many people are under the false impression that cotton swabs act as a safe method to clean your ears, when in fact they could easily cause serious damage to your eardrum and ear canal. Cotton swabs can push your earwax further down into your ear which makes the problem far worse rather than improving it and you risk puncturing your eardrum if you use too much pressure when inserting the cotton swab into your ear. Never use cotton swabs to clean your ears if you want to stay safe and maintain your hearing.

Hot Candle Wax Can Be Used to Clean Your Ears

Unfortunately, there’s a growing trend of people who are choosing to use hot melted candle wax in an attempt to clean the inside of their ears, yet this can do far more harm than good. Rather than hardening and collecting any earwax you may have, the candle wax can in fact stick to your eardrum and ear canal walls, meaning you might need to scrape off the remaining wax in a risky manner. Hot candle wax can be very painful and the removal of said wax can easily lead to infections, so it’s important that you never explore candling to clean your ears.

Earwax Serves No Purpose & Should Be Removed

It’s a total myth that you need to remove any earwax that builds up inside your ear, as in fact it lubricates your ear canal and helps to protect against any foreign bodies from making their way inside your ears. Every person has wax inside their ears, and they are likely to be in a more dangerous position if their wax were to be totally removed, so it’s a lie that earwax serves no purpose and should ultimately be removed.

Ears Are Not Self Cleaning

The final and most important myth that needs to be debunked is the simple fact that ears are not self-cleaning – because they are! As previously mentioned, your earwax stops dirt and debris from entering your ear canal, pushing it to the surface to make sure it doesn’t get inside your ear. This means that nothing can make your ears dirty, so your ears are, in effect, self-cleaning.

If you feel as though you are experiencing an excessive buildup of wax that is impacting on your hearing, then you should always get in touch with a hearing health professional to get the right treatment.