While having some earwax is perfectly normal and even helps you protect your ear canals against infections, we all want our ears to be clean. But if you’ve been using cotton buds to clean the inside of your ears you might be actually damaging your health. Turns out, there are many other simple and healthy ways to make sure your ears stay clean.

1. Cut down on caffeine.

Although nothing can help you wake up in the morning better than a hot cup of coffee, drinking it too often might trigger impacted wax. If you can’t imagine a day without your cup of Java, consider getting a microsuction ear wax removal procedure by a specialist. If you want to lower your risk of getting earwax buildup, try gradually reducing your caffeine consumption.

2. Ditch the cotton buds.

Cleaning your ears with cotton buds might seem like the easiest and fastest way to get rid of earwax, but it can actually do the exact opposite. Cotton buds can irritate your ear canal and push earwax back inside, which will make removing it much harder. Instead of using cotton buds, wash your ears with a little soap and dry them with a thin towel.

3. Give olive oil a try.

© Roberta Sorge / Unsplash, © Olivier Bergeron / Unsplash

Olive oil has lots of health benefits, and apart from hydrating your skin and protecting you against heart conditions it can also help you keep your ears clean for longer. Putting a bit of olive oil in your ears once a week can soften earwax and even encourage it to move out of the ear naturally.

4. Stay hydrated.

Drinking enough water is absolutely crucial for your overall health and wellbeing, and it might also help you keep you ears clean. Staying hydrated stimulates the ear canals, helping to clear them. And because drinking enough water helps you maintain your fluid balance, it might naturally help reduce earwax buildup.

5. Don’t clean the inside of your ears.

While it might seem tempting to clean the inside of your ears, doing so might actually do more harm than good. It’s recommended to clean only the exterior part, and unless you’re working in a dirty or dusty environment, taking a shower daily and wiping around the outside and behind your ears with a damp cloth should be enough to keep your ears clean.

What do you usually use to clean your ears?