How to Make a Homemade Ear Cleaner
Get a small bottle., Fill the bottle with your chosen oil., Warm the oil in your hands., Saturate a saturate a small piece of a cotton ball with the pre-warmed oil., Keep your head tilted for the three to five minutes., Repeat the procedure three to...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get a small bottle.
You can either get an ear dropper bottle or a small (1 oz) brown bottle with an eye-dropper cap. -
Step 2: Fill the bottle with your chosen oil.
Use either mineral oil or olive oil.Oil-based cleaners have the advantage of lubricating the ear canal.
Because earwax is a wax, a type of semisolid oil, the oil-based cleaners are better able to dissolve the earwax.Remember the old chemistry saying "like dissolves like"? This holds for getting rid of earwax.
The best way to dissolve oils and waxes is to use other oils.Add any additional oils to the solution.
If you have an earache, add five drops of mullein oil and three drops of St John’s wort for every ounce of olive/mineral oil.St John’s wort oil has pain-relieving properties,while mullein oil protects the skin of the ear canal and has anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory (pain relief) and anti-viral properties.Check with a knowledgeable healthcare professional before using St John’s wort because it can interact with a variety of prescription medications.Garlic oil can also be used in an oil-based solution as an anti-bacterial agent.
If you want to add garlic oil to your olive/mineral oil, decrease the mullein oil to three drops and the St John’s oil to two drops.
Then add three drops of garlic oil., You want the oil to be around body temperature to prevent dizziness.
You can also warm the oil by placing the bottle in very hot water for about five minutes.
Do a test on your wrist to be certain it is not too hot.
Do not use the microwave to heat the oil.
It can be difficult to evenly heat oils to the proper temperature in microwaves., Place the cotton piece in your ear.
Alternatively, tilt your head and using an ear dropper, place one to two drops of the pre-warmed oil into your ear.
As the oil enters the ear canal, it may give you a bit of a chill.
This is completely normal and will pass quickly.
It may mean that you need the oil slightly warmer. , This will ensure that the solution does not drain out too much.
Do make sure that you have tissues nearby to catch any drainage, though, especially if you used drops.
Then, remove the cotton ball if used.
You could try lying down on your side, with the non-affected ear and side of your face on a pillow.
This will enable the solution to sink in to your affected ear without straining your neck by trying to hold it tilted while sitting or standing. , This should remove any earwax over time.
You can also follow up this "ear soak" with a rinse, using an ear wash bulb.
Fill the bulb with plain warm water.
After the three to five minute soak (as described above), tilt your head again and gently place the end of the bulb near the opening of the ear.
Do not place it in the ear canal.
Gently squeeze out the water around the opening of your ear.
Repeat this rinse two to three times.
Most of the time, two to three treatments (oil soak plus the water rinse) are sufficient to remove most of the earwax.Avoid having your ears irrigated if you have diabetes, a perforated eardrum, a tube in the eardrum, or a weakened immune system.
In these cases, irrigation should be done under the care of a medical professional. -
Step 3: Warm the oil in your hands.
-
Step 4: Saturate a saturate a small piece of a cotton ball with the pre-warmed oil.
-
Step 5: Keep your head tilted for the three to five minutes.
-
Step 6: Repeat the procedure three to five times a day.
Detailed Guide
You can either get an ear dropper bottle or a small (1 oz) brown bottle with an eye-dropper cap.
Use either mineral oil or olive oil.Oil-based cleaners have the advantage of lubricating the ear canal.
Because earwax is a wax, a type of semisolid oil, the oil-based cleaners are better able to dissolve the earwax.Remember the old chemistry saying "like dissolves like"? This holds for getting rid of earwax.
The best way to dissolve oils and waxes is to use other oils.Add any additional oils to the solution.
If you have an earache, add five drops of mullein oil and three drops of St John’s wort for every ounce of olive/mineral oil.St John’s wort oil has pain-relieving properties,while mullein oil protects the skin of the ear canal and has anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory (pain relief) and anti-viral properties.Check with a knowledgeable healthcare professional before using St John’s wort because it can interact with a variety of prescription medications.Garlic oil can also be used in an oil-based solution as an anti-bacterial agent.
If you want to add garlic oil to your olive/mineral oil, decrease the mullein oil to three drops and the St John’s oil to two drops.
Then add three drops of garlic oil., You want the oil to be around body temperature to prevent dizziness.
You can also warm the oil by placing the bottle in very hot water for about five minutes.
Do a test on your wrist to be certain it is not too hot.
Do not use the microwave to heat the oil.
It can be difficult to evenly heat oils to the proper temperature in microwaves., Place the cotton piece in your ear.
Alternatively, tilt your head and using an ear dropper, place one to two drops of the pre-warmed oil into your ear.
As the oil enters the ear canal, it may give you a bit of a chill.
This is completely normal and will pass quickly.
It may mean that you need the oil slightly warmer. , This will ensure that the solution does not drain out too much.
Do make sure that you have tissues nearby to catch any drainage, though, especially if you used drops.
Then, remove the cotton ball if used.
You could try lying down on your side, with the non-affected ear and side of your face on a pillow.
This will enable the solution to sink in to your affected ear without straining your neck by trying to hold it tilted while sitting or standing. , This should remove any earwax over time.
You can also follow up this "ear soak" with a rinse, using an ear wash bulb.
Fill the bulb with plain warm water.
After the three to five minute soak (as described above), tilt your head again and gently place the end of the bulb near the opening of the ear.
Do not place it in the ear canal.
Gently squeeze out the water around the opening of your ear.
Repeat this rinse two to three times.
Most of the time, two to three treatments (oil soak plus the water rinse) are sufficient to remove most of the earwax.Avoid having your ears irrigated if you have diabetes, a perforated eardrum, a tube in the eardrum, or a weakened immune system.
In these cases, irrigation should be done under the care of a medical professional.
About the Author
Henry Sanchez
With a background in religion, Henry Sanchez brings 6 years of hands-on experience to every article. Henry believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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