Earwax Removal: How to Safely Remove It At Home

Trouble hearing? Or did you push that cotton swab a little too deep this time? A clogged ear from earwax buildup is at best annoying and at worst a prelude to hearing loss.AdvertisementCleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. PolicyBut earwax, also known as cerumen, is not only normal, it’s necessary.“People think that earwax is dirty and needs to be cleaned, but earwax has both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties,” says ear, nose and throat specialistAnh Nguyen-Huynh, MD. “It also protects ears from things that could hurt the eardrum, such as dust, hair or small insects.”Factors that can affect your amount of earwax include previous ear surgery or trauma, recurrent ear infections, or wearinghearing aidsor deep earplugs.How to remove earwax safelySo how can you best handle earwax woes?“Sometimes, trying to clean them causes more problems than it’s worth...