Can I Safely Remove Earwax At Home?

While cleaning your ears, have you ever wondered why your earwax exists in the first place? Many even wonder how much earwax is too much or if they'll hear a little better if they clean it out.

Those are all great questions, but it's just as important to know exactly when and how you should clean your ears and what earwax removal methods are safe to do at home.

Daniel Hekman, MD, family medicine doctor with Franciscan Physician Network Franklin Township Family Medicine in Indianapolis, discusses earwax removal at home.

What Is Earwax?

Earwax, also known as cerumen, is naturally formed throughout your ears to protect its most delicate areas, including your ear canal and eardrum. The job of your earwax is to protect those areas of your ear from dust, dirt, and other particles you could encounter each day. The wax collects dirt, dust and other matter, preventing them from getting farther into the ear.

What Does Healthy Earwax Look Like?

Earwax is made of oils naturally formed from your ear canal glands along with dead skin cells resulting in a healthy yellow or brown color that you're familiar with. The texture of earwax is usually soft and moist.

"There is an inclination for people to want to clean their ears because they believe earwax is an indication of uncleanliness. This misinformation leads to unsafe ear health habits," said Seth Schwartz, MD, of the American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

If your earwax is hard or a darker color, it's a sign that it's been in your ear canal collecting dust and other particles for some time.

How Do I Get Rid Of Earwax Buildup?

Everyday activities like moving your jaw and chewing help new earwax push old earwax to the ear opening where it flakes off or is washed off during bathing. Earwax should eventually travel to the ear's entrance and fall out on its own or with the help of running water during a shower.

This is a normal continual process, but sometimes this self-cleaning process fails. The result: a buildup of wax that can partly or fully block the ear canal.

You may be surprised to learn that professionals do not suggest attempting earwax removal at home - especially by cleaning out ears with items.

"Patients often think that they are preventing earwax from building up by cleaning out their ears with cotton swabs, paper clips, ear candles, or any number of unimaginable things that people put in their ears," Dr. Schwartz said. "The problem is that this effort to eliminate earwax is only creating further issues because the earwax is just getting pushed down and impacted farther into the ear canal. Anything that fits in the ear could cause serious harm to the ear drum and canal with the potential for temporary or even permanent damage."

Using cotton swabs, hair pins and toothpicks to remove earwax can cause a cut in the ear canal, a hole in the eardrum, and/or dislocation of the hearing bones, causing problems including hearing loss, dizziness and ringing in the ears.

Can I Safely Remove Earwax Blockages In My Ear?

Do consult your medical provider to find out if you can treat earwax blockages at home. 

If you're experiencing an earwax blockage, there are treatments that you can use from home that don't involve putting things in your ears, including:

• Ear drops
• Water
• Mineral Oil
• Baby Oil
• Glycerin

Dr. Hekman suggests that people with excessive earwax and even others with normal buildup can use a cotton ball dipped in mineral oil as a treatment.

"Place the dipped cotton ball in your external ear canal for 10 to 20 minutes once per week, combined with 8 hours of not using a hearing aid overnight, if applicable," Dr. Hekman said. "This helps to liquefy the earwax and assist other methods of removing earwax, which in turn can reduce the number of visits per year for earwax removal."

You could also use a syringe with warm water at home to clean an earwax blockage. Still, it's crucial to discuss it with your healthcare provider beforehand. Certain medical or ear conditions make some home treatments unsafe.

What Should I Avoid During Earwax Removal?

While there are a handful of options for earwax removal, there are several things that you need to avoid while removing earwax:

• Avoid being rough during earwax removal alongside cleaning too often. Overcleaning can irritate the ear canal and possibly cause an infection.
• If you plan to use ear drops for earwax removal, confirm with your provider that you do not have holes in your eardrum. Also, avoid drops entirely if you have had ear surgery recently.
• "As popular as cotton swabs are and their availability in stores, they are not recommended due to the likelihood of pressing earwax against the ear drum and impacting it," Dr. Hekman said.
• If you plan to use a syringe to rinse out your ears without a professional, avoid using cold water since it can cause temporary vertigo.

Is Ear Candling Safe To Clean Earwax?

The the American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation says there is no evidence that ear candling can remove impacted earwax. Worse, ear candling might cause serious damage to the ear canal and eardrum.

"Earwax candling has not been shown to be an effective method of cerumen removal and has the potential to injure the ear, as well as cause facial burns," Dr. Hekman said. "The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and various practice guidelines recommend that patients avoid the use of earwax candles for cerumen removal."

What Can Happen If I Don't Clean My Earwax?

If you notice an earwax blockage and do not attempt to clear it yourself or reach out to a professional, you could experience the following symptoms:

• General discomfort
• Earaches
• Tinnitus or ringing noises
• Temporary hearing loss

"Too much earwax can also muffle your hearing and trigger sensation of movement or vertigo if it is pressed up against the ear drum," Dr. Hekman said.

When Should I See My Healthcare Provider For My Earwax Blockage?

So there are a handful of methods for excessive earwax removal at home, but when is it time for you to visit a professional?

Reach out to your healthcare provider notice these symptoms during or after an earwax blockage:

• Earwax discharge
• Increasing pain surrounding your ear
• Bleeding
• Ear fullness
• Fevers
• Tinnitus or ringing in your ears
• Hearing loss well after an earwax removal

If you're diagnosed with diabetes or a weakened immune system, you should contact a professional before attempting any earwax removal methods. Diabetes can affect hearing, so a weakened immune system is more prone to infections during earwax removal.

Of course, if you're having difficulties with earwax removal at home and aren't experiencing symptoms or conditions, still reach out to your healthcare provider to avoid damaging your ears.

What Treatments Do Healthcare Professionals Use For Earwax Removal?

If you do decide that it's time to visit your healthcare provider about your earwax blockage, here are the treatment options you can expect.

Depending on the condition of your ear canal and eardrum, your provider may use a curet, a syringe, or additional suction methods to extract the earwax causing blockage during your visit.

You may also be recommended medicated ear drops and a schedule for regular earwax cleaning with your provider to avoid damaging your ears at home.