Although they are one of the most commonly used items for personal hygiene, cottons buds can actually do more harm than good. The thing is, we use cotton buds to remove ear wax and debris, but in doing so we do ourselves more harm than good. Using cotton buds, especially in the wrong way, can trigger some serious issues such as blocking of the ear canal or ear infections.
People sometimes resort to ear cleaning methods, different than cotton buds, which can also be quite dangerous. According to Dr. David Gill, an American pediatrician, ear wax should never be removed by force. He also recommends using other more efficient methods instead. One such method is using oil for ear wax removal.
If you’re dealing with ear wax buildup, the first thing you do is soften it with some oil. For this, soak a small piece of cotton in some oil then gently insert it in your ear, but don’t push too deep. What you do next is shake your head a bit (just like you do when trying to remove water from your ear after swimming) so that the earwax glides towards the ear opening. 2-3 minutes later, drip a few drops of oil in your ear.
If you find this method ineffective, Dr. David suggests washing your ears with a mixture of equal amounts of vinegar and rubbing alcohol.