How should you get rid of earwax? Experts say let your ears take care of it.

It turns out, you shouldn’t use a cotton swab to clean out your ears. 

Your ears are self-cleaning machines, with very little maintenance required. One of its best defenses? Earwax. 

Dr. Nicholas L. Deep, an Ears, Nose, and Throat specialist (Otolaryngologist) and Medical Director of the Cochlear Implant Program at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, explains that earwax is an essential and healthy part of our body’s ear canal. Deep helps guide us through what earwax does, safe ways to remove excess earwax, and some red-flag symptoms that may warrant a trip to your physician. 

What is earwax and what does it do?

Earwax is a protective substance produced by glands in the outer third of the ear canal. Although it can be a nuisance, earwax is vitally important. Deep explains, “It serves several critical functions, such as creating a protective layer over the ear canal skin, blocking out foreign particles, and preventing bacterial and fungal growth.” He adds, “It also keeps the ear lubricated, which prevents itchiness and aids in self-cleaning.” 

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Not everyone has the same texture of earwax. There is a genetic component that determines whether you have more wet and sticky earwax versus dry and flakey earwax. In 2006, Japanese researchers were able to determine that a single DNA unit on the ABCC11 gene determines your type. Deep explains that people of African and European descent are more likely to have wet earwax while people of East Asian and Native American descent are more likely to have dry earwax. 

How to get rid of earwax 

As Deep mentioned, ears have a brilliant self-cleaning system, and, under normal circumstances, manual cleaning of the ears isn’t required. Deep outlines how it works, “There is a natural migration of ear canal skin cells out of the ear, similar to a conveyor belt. New skin cells push older ones outwards, taking earwax with them. The movement of your jaw also plays a role in encouraging this natural movement of wax out of the ear canal. Usually, this means manual cleaning is not needed.” 

How to get rid of earwax at home 

Deep cautions against putting cotton swabs, or anything for that matter, deep into your ear canal. “They might push wax deeper, leading to impacted wax against the eardrum, and potentially even damage the eardrum. The thin cerumen layer provides lubrication and has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Loss of this protective cerumen layer can make the ear feel dry and itchy, leading to a cycle of itching and scratching. Repetitive scratching can tear the delicate ear canal skin, raising the risk of infections, also called swimmer's ear,” he explains. 

Deep recommends a few practices that avoid the ear canal, but are good for general hygiene, “For cleaning, use a cotton swab or a wet washcloth around the outer ear for any wax that's come out, but avoid inserting anything into the ear canal. This approach is sufficient for most people.”

However, some individuals, like older adults or those who use hearing aids, may be prone to build-up that causes some discomfort. At home, Deep recommends using mineral oil or carbamide peroxide (Debrox) to soften and loosen excess wax. 

When to seek medical attention

Deep says that you should always seek medical attention for the following symptoms: 

• Hearing loss
• Severe ear pain
• Vertigo
• Ear drainage

These symptoms may signal a more serious condition. Deep says that sometimes care for these conditions is delayed because of the assumption that excess earwax is causing the issue. 

Key takeaways: don’t insert anything into your ear canal at home, and thank your earwax for good ear health! 

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