Anyone know what this is?
By Fleur
@Fleura (35007)
United Kingdom
December 3, 2024 7:35am CST
When I’m out and about, if I see some litter and I have time, I pick it up and dispose of it. Luckily things are not usually too bad around the village, but people do drop food wrappers or drinks cans here and there.
But sometimes I find odd things – I found a portable chess set thrown into a ditch and a nice china plate tossed into a bush.
Another day I found a few items left on a wall, perhaps just forgotten rather than deliberately abandoned, because they included some hair cosmetics and also this puzzling item.
It’s about the size and shape of a cotton bud, but more like a re-usable one because it has knobbly little rubbery pads on the ends. It comes in its own little case which has a magnetic closure. It seems far too fancy for a disposable item, but would anyone want re-usable ear cleaners??
I have no idea what else it might be, any suggestions?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2024.
12 people like this
12 responses
@Fleura (35007)
• United Kingdom
3 Dec 24
You know what, for some reason I hadn't thought to actually look for such an item, but I just did and guess what? They actually are a 'thing'!
A review of the Last Swab, the world’s first reusable cotton bud. This eliminates single use plastic cotton buds and is an easy sustainable swap to make.
4 people like this
Now I’m curious to know more about the owner of it. What other environmentally friendly things have they discovered that we haven’t heard of yet?@Fleura (35007)
• United Kingdom
3 Dec 24
Have just found the original
The one I found has no name on the case so I guess it's a copy by another manufacturer but it does seem to be the same thing. Who would have thought it!
It's a good idea and I'm keen to avoid disposable things but I rarely use cotton buds except occasionally to dry my ears after washing my hair (about once a week) so I'm not sure that a non-absorbent alternative will do the same job!
https://lastobject.store/products/lastswab?variant=45556477428014
4 people like this
@aureategloom (11025)
• Bosnia And Herzegovina
3 Dec 24
i think this might be a reusable ear cleaner. or at least cleaner for something 
i feel so sorry about that chess and china plate that ended up in the bush.
i feel so sorry about that chess and china plate that ended up in the bush.2 people like this
@aureategloom (11025)
• Bosnia And Herzegovina
3 Dec 24
@Fleura maybe someone could've restored that chess, but it is what it is.
the plate looks nice
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51819)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
3 Dec 24
I was thinking it was a reusable ear squeegy, too, but it might be a nose hair curler...
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51819)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4 Dec 24
@Fleura I've heard about Chinese practitioners who use a tiny spoon to clear out their clients' ear canals. Then there's the candle-ing thing...
Earwax is yucky, but should you use a candle to get it out? WebMD sheds light on this practice.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (35007)
• United Kingdom
4 Dec 24
@BarBaraPrz And I've seen tiny ear-wax spoons in museums too, from Roman times.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153530)
• India
3 Dec 24
Seems you have already found out what it is But I would not use it.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153530)
• India
4 Dec 24
@Fleura If reusable sanitary pads are in the market this is nothing
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@JESSY3236 (22245)
• United States
10 Dec 24
That's so cool. I didn't know there was a reusable Q-tip.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222302)
• United States
4 Dec 24
I see that you have your answer. Hope you have a good day.
1 person likes this
