Hygiene is important in keeping our body healthy and protected against harmful bacteria and virus. We use different kinds of beauty and cleaning products to keep our body clean and fresh. But for some, they tend to overlook the ear. Fortunately, our ears require minimal cleaning.
Ear wax is naturally occurring and nature’s way of protecting the ear from infection. But wax builds up over time. Normally, the ear is able to push the excess wax out for us clean safely. In some cases, however, the ear develops a stubborn build up that clogs and causes discomfort. We can opt to have an ear specialist clean it or consider using an ear wax removal kit for some DIY cleaning.
Ear wax removal kits for home use provide a safe way of cleaning the ear. It is one of the best ways to remove excess earwax to improve hearing and relieve discomfort. Here is our list of 10 of the best ear wax removal kits for 2018.
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Debrox Earwax Removal Kit
Debrox Drops – Earwax Removal Aid contains 6.5% Carbamide Peroxide. Its microfoam cleansing formula safely breaks down and loosens ear wax without irritation. This is safe for home use and can be used for children 12 years and above.
Debrox is easy to use. Apply 5-10 drops into the affected ear while the head is tilted on one side. Oxygen is then released which causes the microfoam cleansing action. This reaction loosens the earwax which enables it to easily drain from the ear.
Debrox is safe to use twice a day for up to four days, and as needed or directed by a physician.
Pros
- Gentle and non-irritating
- Microfoam cleansing action
- Safe for children 12 and over
- Carbamide Peroxide is its active ingredient
- Pocket-sized
Cons
- Not for kids below 12
Squip Kyrosol-Ear Wax Removal Kit
Kyrosol Ear Wax removal kit features 10 Pipettes that are pre-measured for easy and contamination free application. The kit contains 10 pipettes, two hygienic cases for easy storage, ear washer solution and irrigation tip, and ear plug.
Each pipette contains glycerol, sodium carbonate, and purified water. The glycerol-based solution softens and dissolves ear wax in about 30 minutes. For maintenance, Kyrosol may be used for one to two times per month.
Pros
- Controllable and comfortable rinsing action with Syringe
- Safe application with an irrigation tip
- Single dose pipettes assure hygienic cleaning and easy dispensing
Cons
- The process takes some time to clean thoroughly
Elephant Ear Washer Bottle System
Elephant Ear Washer Bottle System was designed for easy cleaning. Originally used by doctors, this cleaning system is so easy to use that is also suitable for home use. Its built-in hose allows for convenient and hassle-free positioning. The bottle can hold solution enough for thorough cleaning without the need to refill.
Disposable irrigation tips are used which ensures contamination-free application. This ear cleaning kit contains 1 elephant ear wash bottle and three disposable irrigation tips.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Cleaning bottle holds enough water and pressure to clean both ears
- Uses disposable irrigation tips for hygienic application
- It can be used with any ear wax removal drops
- Doctor designed
Cons
- Some consumers think it’s a bit pricey considering its plastic build
Doctor Easy Wax-Rx Ph Conditioned Ear Wash System
The Doctor Easy Wax-Rx Removal Kit is a comprehensive ear wax removal product. The package includes an ear washer, basin, removal aid drops with Aloe and Chamomile, 3 disposable tips, and 3 packets of Wax-Rx pH powder rinse.
Pros
- Doctor designed and safe for home use
- pH conditioned cleaning system for a gentle and harmless cleaning
- Complete ear wax cleaning kit
- Ear wax removal aid drop with Aloe and Chamomile for a soothing way to clean the ear
- Easy to use
Cons
- Some customers complain it was not as effective as advertised
- A bit pricey for a three-use ear cleaning product
BOCOO Ear Wax Remover Cleaning System
Bocoo Ear Wax Remover Cleaning System is a complete kit. Easy to use and a safer way to clean the ear. The tips are made of silicone, so it is soft and won’t hurt your ear canal. They are also replaceable so there is no risk of infection when used by different people.
The package contains Bocoo ear cleaning system, 4 tips, a storage bag, and manual. Plus, money-back guarantee for total consumer satisfaction.
Pros
- Complete ear cleaning system
- The bottle has a big capacity
- Replaceable silicone tips to prevent the spread of infection
- Money-back guarantee
Cons
- Weak pressure
- Bottle trigger tends to break easily
Earwax MD Earwax Removal Kit with Rinsing Bulb
Earwax MD is a clinically and dermatology tested ear wax cleaning product. It dissolves stubborn ear wax build-up in 15-30 minutes. The dual action formula targets the oils while breaking down the waxy build-up for faster cleaning.
Laboratory test showed that Earwax MD works better and faster than other ear wax cleaning products. Its special formulation enables it to dissolve ear wax in as fast as 15 minutes. That means saved time and money. Earwax MD is also ideal for hearing aid users who suffer from earwax impaction.
Pros
- Dissolves ear wax in one application
- Safe and clinically proven formula
- The formula used new ingredients
- No itching or fullness sensation in the ear
- Time-saving with its fast dual-action formula
Cons
- Did not work for some users
Mack’s ProRinse Earwax Removal System
Mack’s Prorinse Earwax Removal Kit is a complete ear cleaning system. It is gentle and fast acting at the same time. Its Steady-Flow Bellow ear syringe with Tri-Stream rinse tips makes ear cleaning safely. It washes in a multi-directional way thus makes an even cleaning without the risk of eardrum perforation.
The package includes ear drops, rinse tub, earplugs, and wash syringe. Ideal as well for hearing aid users. The AquaBlock earplugs hold ear drops in both ears at the same time so the solutions work twice as fast. It doesn’t limit the user from freely moving about. And lastly, the rinse tub allows for rinsing without the mess.
Pros
- Complete ear cleaning kit
- The single application works twice faster
- Easily removes ear wax and blockage
- Tri-stream rinse tip with multi-direction
- Safe for adults and children
Cons
- Syringe tends to break easily
- Rinsing action is not effective enough to clean thoroughly
Neilmed Clearcanal Ear Wax Removal Complete Kit
NeilMed ClearCanal Ear Wax Removal Kit contains Carbamide Peroxide as its active ingredient. The saline spray is made of USP grade water and is pH balanced. Easy to use and fast acting. Just keep the drops in the ear for about 10 minutes while keeping the head tilted. You can also put earplugs if you need more mobility.
Plus, the specially designed cup allows for a no-mess drainage of fluid. The package comes with 1 bottle of ear drops, 1 drainage collection cup, and 2 ear plugs. Use it for no more than two times in a week.
Pros
- Preservative-free formula
- Drainage collection cup
- pH Balanced saline solution
Cons
- Users need to follow correct usage or risk clogging in the ear
- Not suitable for children under 12 years of age
- Did not work for some consumers
Ear Pick 6PCS Ear Wax Removal Tool Ear Wax Cleaner
Ear Pick Ear Wax Removal Tool by Top Teng is a set of 5 ear wax removal picks and a brush. Made from 100% medical grade stainless steel with different tips for easy and fast cleaning. Firm control design for easy and efficient cleaning. Smooth edges and design (spiral tips, spring, and ball-end design).
Easy to clean and can be sanitized with hot water or rubbing alcohol. The small brush is useful in cleaning debris before and after use. Comes in neatly packaged metal storage box. And lastly, it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Pros
- Variety of smoothly edged tips
- Durable stainless steel
- Easy to use, clean, and carry
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Not suitable for children
Similasan Ear Wax Removal Kit
Similasan is a trusted and leading brand in Switzerland. It comes with .033 oz bottle ear drops and an ear bulb syringe. Similasan is peroxide free and uses only natural ingredients to remove excess ear wax. The ear drop stimulates the body’s ability to get rid of excess ear wax. The result is relief from clogged sensation, ringing, and itching without drying the ear canal.
Similasan is made from club moss extract and is peroxide free. The bulb syringe that comes with it is latex free.
Pros
- Contains no harsh chemicals.
- Peroxide, Gluten, Alcohol, and Dairy free.
- Non-drying
- A bulb syringe is latex free
Cons
- Takes time for it to work
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What is Earwax?
Earwax or Cerumen is nature’s way of lubricating the ear canal. It is created by the ear glands which greases and prevents dust, bacteria, and insects from getting inside the ear canals. Ear wax is made up of dead skin cells, secretions from ceruminous and sebaceous glands, and bits of hair.
Without the ear wax protecting and lubricating the ear canals, the ears will be prone to dryness, itchiness, irritation, and inflammation. A dry ear wax has a crumbly texture and lighter in color. Wet ear wax is yellowish to brown in color. It has sticky texture and can have an odor to it.
The human body naturally cleans itself up of excess ear wax. The chewing or jaw movement helps the ear push the excess ear wax out to the ear opening. The wax then naturally dries up and fall out.
What Causes Excessive Ear Wax Production?
For some, it’s genetics. There are people who naturally have the tendency to produce more ear max compared to others. Others are due to the aging process, which tends to increase the secretion and slow down the exiting of ear wax.
Stress and anxiety can cause the body to produce more ear wax. The apocrine glands, the glands that are responsible for smelly sweat, also helps in wax secretion. Stress can cause these glands to be more active.
The eardrum, an oval membrane separating the middle and inner ear, is made of thin and delicate tissue. Ear Perforation occurs when that thin membrane tears and can cause ear wax build up. Loud noises, blood pressure, physical trauma, and injury from foreign objects like cotton swabs can cause ear perforation.
Inner ear infection resulting from ear perforation contributes to ear wax build. When ear perforation occurs, bacteria can easily enter and infect the inner ear. The pus draining and finding its way into the middle ear can trigger excessive was production.
Instruments like hearing aids, earphones, and headphones can also cause excessive ear wax production in two ways. First, hearing instruments tend to distract and block the natural exit of wax from the inner ear. Second, improper and unsanitary use of hearing instruments adds to the buildup of ear wax.
What Are the Side Effects of Ear Wax Impaction?
Ear wax impaction or blockage often results when objects like cotton swabs push the ear wax farther into the ears. An ear wax blockage can cause temporary hearing loss, ringing in the ear, a feeling of fullness in the ear, irritation, discharge, odor, dizziness, and pain.
What Are the Signs of an Ear Infection?
Ear infections are more common in children than it is in adults. However, an ear infection in an adult is often just a symptom of a more serious health problem.
An ear infection can be inner, middle, or outer. An inner ear infection may be characterized by inflammation which can be a sign of other health problem like meningitis. Symptoms may include, dizziness, pain, nausea, the problem with balance, and vomiting. Chronic neuritis or labyrinthitis may show symptoms like fatigue, disorientation, difficulty concentrating, or discomfort while walking or turning one’s head.
A middle ear infection or otitis media is caused by trapped fluid behind the eardrum. Symptoms include an earache, trouble hearing, feeling of fullness, discharge, and sometimes, fever. An outer ear infection or otitis externa is characterized by itchy, painful, tender, red, and swollen ears.
What Causes an Ear Infection?
Middle ear infections are often due to respiratory problems. Infection travels from one ear to the other through the eustachian tubes, the air pressure regulators of the ears. When these tubes get irritated, they swell and prevent fluid from properly draining. The trapped fluids build up and clog against the eardrum.
Outer ear infection is often caused by water that was trapped after swimming or bathing. Trapped moist provides a breeding ground for bacteria and can be aggravated when it gets irritated or injured by foreign objects.
Inner ear infection can be caused by bacteria or virus. But the most common cause is a viral infection. While middle and outer infections would heal in about two weeks, inner ear infections can last longer.
Inner ear infection is more of inflammation rather than an infection in itself. Neuritis is the inflammation of the nerve that affects the part of the inner ear responsible for balance. This results in dizziness or vertigo. Labyrinthitis, inflammation of the labyrinth, affects both areas responsible for hearing and balance.
Serous labyrinth occurs when toxins produced by bacterial infection of the middle ear invade the inner ear. Suppurative labyrinthitis happens when it’s the bacteria itself that attacks the labyrinth.
An inner ear infection often is the result of a systemic viral illness like infectious mononucleosis or measles. Other viral infections like influenza, measles, and hepatitis can result in vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis.
Is Ear Candling Safe?
Ear candling or ear coning is a therapeutic technique practiced in natural health salons. It involves placing a lit, cone-shaped tube or hollow cone candle into the ear canal. It is made from fabric soaked in paraffin or beeswax. The technique creates a vacuum that draws out ear wax.
Ear candling can hurt the ear and damage the eardrum because of vacuum pressure. Other potential dangers are burns, candle wax deposits, perforated eardrums, blockage in the ear canal, and hearing loss.
How Do You Clean/Unclog the Ears?
A quick change in air pressure, such as what happens when a place rapidly ascents or descents, can cause a malfunction in the eustachian tubes. This could clog the ears. Ear popping, or Valsalva maneuver, should equalize the pressure and unclog the ear. To do this, blow out air while keeping your nose plugged and mouth closed. Chewing a gum and yawning are also simple techniques to “pop” the ear.
Steaming is great for clearing blocked ears due to nasal congestion. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a basin filled with hot water. With your head held over it and covered with a towel, inhale the steam for about 15 minutes. Refill the basin with hot water as needed.
Note: Q-tips should only be used to clean the outermost part of the ear. Consult a physician if ear clogging is accompanied by ear pain, or you observe signs of infection or injury, or condition is recurring.
If you have a perforated eardrum, the following tips should never be applied.
Dropping some warm mineral or baby oil should also help unclog the affected ear. Test the temperature first using your wrist or hand. Put one to two drops into the ear using a medicine dropper while your head is tilted. Repeat up to twice a day until clogging clears out.
Ear irrigation is also another home remedy that you can apply. Drop some ear wax softener (e.g. hydrogen peroxide) into the affected ear. Hold the solution in the ear for about 15-30 minutes (or as directed in the packaging). Using a syringe filled with water or saline solution, gently rinse out the dissolved ear wax.
Important Facts To Keep In Mind
Cleaning the Ears
The ear is a self-cleaning organ of the human body. It has an effective cleaning mechanism that can bring excess wax from the inside to the outer part of the ear. It is often enough to clean just the outer part of the ear with a clean face cloth or towel.
Only when you feel fullness in the ear, itchiness, or if you use earbuds for long periods, do you need deeper cleaning? Some also produce more ear wax than others, thus, requiring more frequent cleaning. But otherwise, cleaning once or twice a month should be enough.
Sodium Bicarbonate
Often used as an ear drop ingredient, sodium bicarbonate is effective in softening hardened ear wax. By softening the earwax, it reduces the need to physically remove the blockage. Often, irrigation is enough to rinse the debris.
In general, twice a day application for 3-5 days is sufficient to relieve the ear of excess ear wax. Cotton buds are never advisable to clean the inside of the ears. They tend to push the compacted ear wax further deep into the ear canal.
Sodium bicarbonate can cause dryness, but it is rare. Ear drops should not be used with a perforated eardrum.
Ear Irrigation
Ear irrigation is an effective way of removing excess ear wax and foreign matter. Irrigating the ear may be done by a medical professional or at home. Often this is performed after using an ear wax softener and using water or saline solution to flush the debris out.
Ear irrigation is usually painless, but some may feel dizziness but should settle quickly. However, if you develop ear pain, itchiness, discharge, or swelling, see an ear specialist as soon as possible.
Carbamide Peroxide
Another ear drop ingredient use in ear wax cleaning kits is carbamide peroxide. It softens and loosens stubborn ear wax. It is generally safe and poses no risk of overdose.
Carbamide peroxide should not be used by people allergic to it, a ruptured eardrum, had ear surgery, experiencing ear pain, discharge, or swelling. Immediately stop using it if you experience an allergic reaction, dizziness, or developed signs of infection.
Commons side effects that should quickly go away are crackling sound or foaming, feeling of fullness, and mild itching.
Glycerin
Glycerin is another ingredient used in ear drops. It is a clear liquid found in lotions and soap. It lubricates and softens hardened ear wax. It is safe and effective when used 15-30 minutes before rinsing with an ear syringe.
You can also use glycerin to help prevent ear wax build up. Two to three drops once a week should be enough to keep earwax blockage at bay.
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Conclusion
Ear wax is our ear’s natural protection from infection, insects, and other foreign matter. While the ear is a self-cleaning organ, using an ear wax cleaning kit can help relieve clogging and improve hearing. Ear wax cleaning kits should be easy to use, to clean, time-saving, reusable, and safe. Also, when available, use kits with parts made of silicone for added comfort and safety.
Ear wax cleaning kits for home use is an economical way of relieving clogged ears. We should, however, take extra precautions and follow instructions to ensure effectiveness and reduce risks of injury or infection. Better yet, consult with a doctor before doing it on your own.
