How to use baby oil to remove ear wax

Ear wax looks despicable but serves the important purpose of protecting your ear canal from bugs, dirt, debris and bacteria. Mostly, the ear cleans itself but when ear wax accumulates, it blocks the ear canal. This may lead to coughing, ringing, pain, itching or even hearing loss.

Using baby oil is a great way of treating wax blockages at home. However, you should only remove ear wax if and when it causes discomfort and interferes with hearing, says the American Academy of Otolaryngology.

Steps to remove ear wax with the help of baby oil

Step 1: Warm one tsp of baby oil to body temperature. You shouldn’t use any liquid on your body warmer or cooler than body temperature because it may trigger vertigo, dizziness or discomfort, warns The University of Maryland Medical Center.

Step 2: Tilt your head so that the affected ear is exposed. Pull your ear lobe so that the ear canal opens up a bit to allow baby oil to reach the inner part of the ear.

Step 3: Using an eyedropper, put two to three drops of baby oil in the ear canal. You should feel the oil draining down your ear. Keep your head tilted for several minutes to make sure that the liquid has reached the ear wax.




Step 4: After several minutes, stuff a bit of cotton into the affected area to make sure the liquid doesn’t drip out of it. Slowly bring your head up to its normal position.

Step 5: Use a saline spray or water at room temperature to flush the earwax out. Repeat this twice a day for two days to dissolve and drain out all the accumulated ear wax. The best time to do this is before showering.

If you do not find relief within two days, report your symptoms to a doctor. There might be another underlying problem behind your ear discomfort.

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