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Do you clean your ears?

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I used to use Q-tips, but not anymore. I have one of those ear picking things that looks like a miniature spoon with smaller head.
 
Q-tip or one of those squirty bulb things. If I don't stay on top of it, the earwax builds up to the point that it can start to seriously impair my hearing.
As I understand it, earwax is secreted from modified oil glands. Different people put out different levels of skin oil, so I guess that different people would put out different levels of earwax.
(I'm just glad that regular skin glands don't put out earwax-like goo. Yuck.)
 
Multiple times daily. Usually with Q-tip or "tooled" tissue. I can't stand anything in my ears and have to grind it every so often.
 
i clean them with q-tips every morning before putting hearing aids on because i don't want my ear molds to be stuffed with wax. :|
 
Alright here's a novel technique for you fellers. Roll up a piece of paper into a semi-tight cone, and place the narrow end into the ear canal (doesn't have to be deep but it should be somewhat flush with the border of the canal.) Then... light the other side on fire!

EDIT:

Just to be clear about this technique, I'm being totally serious. I learned it from a German. Evidently is creates a minor vacuum with a bit a warm air that loosens the wax and draws it out. It should be assumed that you shouldn't let the paper burn too long.
 
roll up a piece of toilet paper. its rigid enough to clean but no danger of puncture.

its very important to do after shower, especially if you have a history of ear infections. water in the ear is a bad thing.
 
I wish there was those ear cleaning places in the US like they have in Japan. Otherwise I use a Q-tip or q-tip w/ hydrogen peroxide.
 
I qtip it. Ears are naturally self-cleaning, but that process isn't fast enough for me. Kinda like your nose. It naturally flushes itself out, but people use kleenexes anyway.
 
Originally posted by: gururu2
roll up a piece of toilet paper. its rigid enough to clean but no danger of puncture.

its very important to do after shower, especially if you have a history of ear infections. water in the ear is a bad thing.
Click to expand...

Using tissue/toilet paper does a better job than a Q-tip for me. You can fill the entire hole and "grind".
 
Originally posted by: Fritzo
Yep, every morning. Can't stand it if I don't. Screw the warnings on the Q-Tip box "DO NOT USE IN EAR". If people listened, they would be out of busienss. It's like they should add "wink wink" to the end of the warning.
Click to expand...

Quoted for troof.

Beware other brands of cotton swabs as tempting as the promise of savings may be because they are simply never equivalent in my experience. Ergo, the only true way to reduce cost is buying the real thing in bulk -you know, the alternator sized packs from Costco and the like.

The "pushing wax in" scare seems a bit of a red herring presuming they are used regularly as it wouldn't have a chance to build up.

As to ears being self-cleaning and thus such acts contravining nature well this goes along with much of contemporary hygiene for better or for worse. That is, it may be a li'l o'er-the-top but minimizes social tension at least and may make us more comfortable even if it lessens our immune systems or general protection from the elements somewhat.

 
Q-tips are stupid. They don't get all of the wax, and end up pushing the remainder in deeper. Don't give me any crap about technique, either.

I just use a little soap and scrape around in the shower. Anything visible is gone for at least 24 hours and I don't care about the stuff inside.
 
q-tips after every shower.

If nothing else, at least it helps dry them out. It feels gross to be running around with wet ear canals.
 
just wondering OP...how do you dress yourself? I mean, do you get your mom to help, or do you post on AT first for advice?
 
Originally posted by: zinfamous
just wondering OP...how do you dress yourself? I mean, do you get your mom to help, or do you post on AT first for advice?
Click to expand...

Honestry, I skimmed over the OP but now I see that their doctor is a quack. Self-cleaning? Pshaw! Tell them you are self-diagnosing and self-healing, if not self-medicating. Also, report them to Unilever Corp. and they will soon have their license revoked.

 
Originally posted by: Fritzo
Yep, every morning. Can't stand it if I don't. Screw the warnings on the Q-Tip box "DO NOT USE IN EAR". If people listened, they would be out of busienss. It's like they should add "wink wink" to the end of the warning.
Click to expand...
 
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