Cleaning your ears

Narj · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:05

SixTwoSix said:
This thread has gotta be a record for necro bumps surely?

Relevant to me atm though, as i'm getting older my ears are getting hairier and seem to get a lot more wax build up.

Bloody annoying now that I have to pluck hair out of my ears with tweezers every week. This never used to happen... WHYYYyyyy?

SixTwoSix · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:11

Narj said:
Bloody annoying now that I have to pluck hair out of my ears with tweezers every week. This never used to happen... WHYYYyyyy?

Seems to hurt more than anywhere else as well, guess there's no pain tolerance for ear hair built up in me yet.

ancientmariner · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:13

I never put a cotton bud near my ears, always thought it was a good way of pushing wax further into the canal. About once a month i find a ball of wax falls out of each ear. I have self cleaning ears it seems. There ya go.

doodah · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:15

Glad to see plenty of people saying they don't recommend putting cotton buds down there, my Mrs swears by it and I keeping telling her no

.

Semple · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:17

SixTwoSix said:
This thread has gotta be a record for necro bumps surely?

Relevant to me atm though, as i'm getting older my ears are getting hairier and seem to get a lot more wax build up.

It's interesting to see that half of those who posted in this thread 12 years ago have either been banned, or haven't been seen in many many years.

I do wonder in 10 years of those posting today whom will be banned, or no longer logging into the forums.

Caracus2k · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:19

doodah said:
Sorry bumping this one as well because it's really annoying having to turn my head side on to actually hear what anyone is saying .

I get the impression Audiclean isn't intended for really blocked ears. I need to find something a little more effective than olive oil or hydrogen peroxide.

Olive oil for about a week and pay for micro suction to clear out the blockages

Rannoch · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:24

doodah said:
Glad to see plenty of people saying they don't recommend putting cotton buds down there, my Mrs swears by it and I keeping telling her no .

It’s the worst thing you can do lol

robj20 · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:41

Can't remember every cleaning my ears.
The bits you can reach with a face cloth yes but never any deeper than that.

Mason- · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:48

Put sawdust in your ear to dry it all out. Then just get the hoover and suck all the dry ear wax out, job done.

doodah · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:52

Mason- said:
Put sawdust in your ear to dry it all out. Then just get the hoover and suck all the dry ear wax out, job done.

I think me sucking would do a better job than the Dyson we have

.

Pho · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:53

I've had to have my ears syringed / suctioned a couple of times so I now tend to use 3% hydrogen peroxide like some others have mentioned to try and stop the build up; far cheaper than Otex etc. I just syringe a few drops in and it fizzles in your ear whilst the wax is being dissolved which is pretty nice.

This one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Care-Hydrogen-Peroxide-Solution-bottles/dp/B01HK5JCHE/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=hydrogen+peroxide+3%&qid=1556030993&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Very much not recommended but last time my ears blocked up I didn't want to waste the NHS' time and DIY'd it with my waterpik on very very low pressure. It's very much the same principal and worked great

.

doodah · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:56

Pho said:
I've had to have my ears syringed / suctioned a couple of times so I now tend to use 3% hydrogen peroxide like some others have mentioned to try and stop the build up; far cheaper than Otex etc. I just syringe a few drops in and it fizzles in your ear whilst the wax is being dissolved which is pretty nice.

This one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Care-Hydrogen-Peroxide-Solution-bottles/dp/B01HK5JCHE/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=hydrogen+peroxide+3%&qid=1556030993&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Very much not recommended but last time my ears blocked up I didn't want to waste the NHS' time and DIY'd it with my waterpik on very very low pressure. It's very much the same principal and worked great .

Thanks Pho, really useful. The link you sent states not for external use so is that OK to use in the ear? And do you have a model of the waterpik you use please?

PS - are we breaching the medical thread rule with this?

Mason- said:
How much do you want for 5 minutes on each of my ears?

Saving for a wedding so at least £50. You won't regret....

Mason- · 23 Apr 2019 at 15:57

doodah said:
I think me sucking would do a better job than the Dyson we have .

How much do you want for 5 minutes on each of my ears?

G-MAN2004 · 23 Apr 2019 at 16:04

I was in a rush the other week and accidentally shoved the cotton wool bud in my ear too far and it was a piercing pain that immediately made my eyes shut. It was red with blood after.

I'll probably go the olive oil route from now on. You can never be too careful with your ears!

Hedge · 23 Apr 2019 at 16:06

The idea of putting things in my ears freaks me out too much.

To be honest I don't even use soap when I wash my face. People probably think that's bad but I just rinse it with water on a morning.

Pho · 23 Apr 2019 at 17:32

doodah said:
Thanks Pho, really useful. The link you sent states not for external use so is that OK to use in the ear? And do you have a model of the waterpik you use please?

PS - are we breaching the medical thread rule with this?

It might be breaching medical rules on that. I guess internal might refer to swallowing it? If you google Hydrogen Peroxide and ear wax I guess you can figure out your own conclusions.

I have a Waterpik Ultra (it's about 4 years old now). Bear in mind some of the cheaper ones basically just fire a single jet of water when you press the trigger whereas these ones constantly squirt water whilst you have your finger on the button. It's far far easier than flossing. The first few times you'll want to keep the dial turned down low as it can be really sensitive on your teeth. After you get used to it I tend to leave it on max.

doodah · 23 Apr 2019 at 17:36

@Pho thanks again. I'll stop asking now as I don't want to break the rule, though GD seems ride with advice/info on various solutions to wayx or blocked ears. I have been using the Otex with hydrogen peroxide in then, I wonder if it's a lot weaker than the real stuff. Going to pop into Boots and ask.

Edit - @Pho the pharmacist only had 6% and warned even using the 3% in ears, and prolonged use of drops. But I can't get an appointment until May 8 and they won't do squat if it's not lossened.

Semple · 23 Apr 2019 at 17:40

G-MAN2004 said:
I was in a rush the other week and accidentally shoved the cotton wool bud in my ear too far and it was a piercing pain that immediately made my eyes shut. It was red with blood after.

I'll probably go the olive oil route from now on. You can never be too careful with your ears!

Yeah i guess this is why doctors always advise not to use them, incase people shove them in too far. Delicate use should be fine though.

timmeh · 23 Apr 2019 at 17:41

I just hold my nose and try and blow out of it. Ear wax fires out across the room.

Pho · 23 Apr 2019 at 18:26

doodah said:
@Pho thanks again. I'll stop asking now as I don't want to break the rule, though GD seems ride with advice/info on various solutions to wayx or blocked ears. I have been using the Otex with hydrogen peroxide in then, I wonder if it's a lot weaker than the real stuff. Going to pop into Boots and ask.

Edit - @Pho the pharmacist only had 6% and warned even using the 3% in ears, and prolonged use of drops. But I can't get an appointment until May 8 and they won't do squat if it's not lossened.

Suffering with a blocked ear for days is awful

I guess you'll just have to do your research and take a call, there's loads of advice over Google in regards to using it for wax. I know people mix it with water to create a more dilute version so you can easily convert the 6% down to 3% or whatever.