How to Flush an Ear Canal

Earwax, while essential to ear health, can accumulate and cause problems. Too much earwax can lead to hearing loss, inner ear infections and equilibrium problems including vertigo. Flushing your ear is a simple process (albeit a little bit messy) that can be done in the comfort of your own home.

Things You'll Need

• Eye dropper
• Baby oil
• Cotton balls
• Bulb syringe
• Water
• Hand towel

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Instructions

• 1

  Place the tip of the eye dropper into the baby oil and pinch the end to suck up the baby oil into the dropper.

• 2

  Tilt your head to the side and line up the tip of the eye dropper with your ear canal. Do not insert the dropper into your ear.

• 3

  Release four to five drops of baby oil into your ear canal. Squeeze the end of the eye dropper gently to release the oil.

• 4

  Place a cotton ball into your ear to keep the baby oil inside. Repeat on the other ear. Allow the baby oil to set for at least five minutes.

• 5

  Suck up some warm water with your bulb syringe by squeezing the bulb with your thumb and index finger and placing the tip of the bulb under the warm stream of water. Slowly relax your fingers to suck up the water.

• 6

  Hold a hand towel under your ear. This will help you catch any earwax and water.

• 7

  Remove the cotton from your ears.

• 8

  Place the tip of the bulb syringe outside the opening of your ear canal and squeeze the bulb. This will release the water from the bulb into your ear, flushing it out. Repeat on the other side.