How to Remove Earwax with Olive Oil

Do not use olive oil if your ear is damaged. Olive oil is almost completely safe for healthy people, but it can cause irritation when your ears are damaged or in bad condition. If you have any of the following, consult your doctor before doing so: ^{[2] [3]}

• Perforated eardrum
• Frequent ear infections
• Hearing loss
• There is mastoid fossa
• Any matter for which you are instructed to keep your ears dry

Heat olive oil. Olive oil helps soften the earwax so it can drain easily. ^[4] However, before instilling in your ears, you should warm the oil, to a body temperature of 37°C. This is also the temperature in the ear so you will feel more comfortable. Warm two to three tablespoons of oil.

• Do not overheat the oil as it can damage the eardrum.
• Olive oil is a popular choice but not the only one. Hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, baby oil, or mineral oil are also safe to use. ^[5]

Add essential oils if you want. When the ear is blocked, bacteria can build up and lead to an ear infection ^[6] , so some people add essential oils that have antibacterial properties. Actually, olive oil alone can clean the ears easily ^[7] , but before instilling in your ears, make sure you put a few drops of the oil on your skin. to see if it causes irritation. Add about four drops of essential oil to the warmed olive oil. The following essential oils can be added:

• ^{Garlic essential oil [8}
• Eucalyptus Oil ^[9]
• Lavender essential oil, safe for use in children ^[10]
• St. essential oil

Cover the mixture with an eyedropper bottle. After mixing the olive oil and the essential oil of your choice together, put some of the solution into the eyedropper bottle. ^[13] This not only allows you to apply the correct amount, but also makes it easier to get the oil in your ears.

Put two drops of the solution in the ear. Instead of filling your ears, you should just put a few drops and wait for it to absorb into the earwax. ^[14] Hold your head tilted for five to ten minutes so the oil doesn’t drain.

• Place a towel by your ear in case the oil comes out when you straighten your head.

Repeat the process two to three times per day. The first application may not be as effective, it is recommended that you use two to three drops per day for three to five days ^[15] , as it takes time for earwax to soften and break down.

Consider washing your ears. Although olive oil can soften the earwax, sometimes it still won’t get it out. In this case, you can wash your ears if necessary. Using an oval rubber pump (such as those for children), tilt your head and gently pump warm water into the ear that has been dripped with oil. ^[16]

• Pump very gently, because if you pump hard, the eardrum can be damaged.
• For best results, pull the ear upwards towards the back so that the ear canal is straight. ^[17]
• You can also ask your doctor to help you wash your ears. With medical instruments that use precise water pressure to avoid injuring the ear, they perform more safely. ^[18]

See a doctor. After softening your earwax and rinsing your ears to no avail, you should consider seeing a doctor. They will have an effective and safe method to get rid of clogged ears. ^[19] In addition, your doctor can examine your ears and make an appropriate diagnosis. It is possible that your ear is not initially blocked by earwax, but due to other causes such as: ^[20]

• Sinusitis – inflammation of the sinus cavities
• Meniere’s disease – an inner ear disorder that causes hearing loss and loss of balance
• Chpesteatoma – a cyst that grows in the middle ear
• Auditory neuroma – tumor appearing in the auditory nerve
• Invasive fungal infections
• Seborrheic otitis media – middle ear infection
• Temporomandibular disorder syndrome