Is using cotton buds to 'clean' the ear harmful? / myLot

Australia

May 3, 2019 8:53pm CST

I rarely use cotton buds to clean the ears. I've heard that they can cause damage to the ear drum. Also they can push dirt and wax deeper inside the ear canal and cause them to get impacted. Do you use cotton tipped ear buds to clean the ears?

12 people like this

12 responses

May2k8

@May2k8 (19788)

• Indonesia

4 May 19

Does not hurt if you are not too tight when scraping your ears, use the feeling of using it.

2 people like this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

4 May 19

I use it very gently and occasionally

1 person likes this

Danna B.

@db20747 (43419)

• Washington, District Of Columbia

4 May 19

Not anymore!! The tipped scraped my ear one day and I got an ear infection out of this world!! Please be careful!!

2 people like this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

4 May 19

I've heard several people mention that.

Kareng

@kareng (80243)

• United States

4 May 19

I only use them to absorb water after washing my hair. I don't go down into my ear canal just for that reason. I can remember my grandmother's method which makes me cringe now. She used the rounded end of a bobby pin. Yikes.

1 person likes this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

4 May 19

I've seen that being used. Scary!!

1 person likes this

Kareng

@kareng (80243)

• United States

6 May 19

@pitstop Yes, big shudder

1 person likes this

Shifa

@ShifaLk (17811)

• India

4 May 19

I use it a lot even when my ears are all clean and don't need it. because I have become habitual

1 person likes this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

5 May 19

Some people like the sensation it creates when cleaning the ear.

1 person likes this

Shifa

@ShifaLk (17811)

• India

5 May 19

@pitstop yeah.. Itching

1 person likes this

@dgobucks226 (37621)

•

4 May 19

I have in the past use a cotton swab but as you said it pushed the wax further in the ear canal. Now I just take a cotton ball to clean my ears.

1 person likes this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

4 May 19

Isn't that going to do the same thing?

@dgobucks226 (37621)

•

4 May 19

@pitstop No, I don't put it in that far and the cotton is not on a stick which definitely would push the wax inward. I also use ear wax remover on occasion just in case.

1 person likes this

Jojo

@Sojourn (13833)

• India

4 May 19

I don't use earbuds, I hated it from the childhood.

1 person likes this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

4 May 19

Does it tickle your ears??!!

1 person likes this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

4 May 19

@Sojourn it is even more tricky when someone else does it!

1 person likes this

Jojo

@Sojourn (13833)

• India

4 May 19

@pitstop It caused pain in my ears due to carelessness by my cousin.

1 person likes this

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scarlet_woman

@scarlet_woman (23463)

• United States

4 May 19

i've used them for years,never hurt me. as long as you don't act like you're stabbing your brain with them..

1 person likes this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

4 May 19

I am concerned that you can impact the dirt by pushing it deeper.

1 person likes this

scarlet_woman

@scarlet_woman (23463)

• United States

4 May 19

@pitstop if you had a chronic earwax problem,then i'd say don't..in that case you're better off using hydrogen peroxide to clean it out.

1 person likes this

eileenleyva

@eileenleyva (27555)

• Philippines

4 May 19

Yup. Just don't push too deep. Swipe every three days, like sort of drying the ear canal. Otherwise, the soap lather while taking a bath can do the cleaning.

1 person likes this

Pitstop

@pitstop (15551)

• Australia

4 May 19

Thanks for the advice.

1 person likes this