If you’ve gotten water stuck in your ear before, then you know it’s the worst. The whole feeling is super annoying, and if you don’t know how to get rid of it, it’ll be stuck for ages. And nobody wants that! So, in the interest of comfort, maybe you could use a refresher on how to keep your ears water-free.
Water can get trapped for pretty much any reason. The people most likely to have it happen are frequent swimmers, but we’ve all experienced it in the shower once or twice. Maybe you’ve got a naturally narrow ear canal, or maybe it’s stuck in there due to earwax. Either way, it’s not unusual.
There are good and bad ways to expunge water, so let’s make sure you’re doing it right. Here are the best ways to get water out of your ear safely and efficiently!
And using a finger, q-tip or similar item is not the way to do it. Instead, try to gently dry your outer ear with a soft towel or cloth. Don’t stick the cloth into your ear canal; all you need to touch on is the outer part.
These Bionix Health at Home Afterswim Water Removal are for just that.
These are totally safe compared to q-tips and other things that penetrate the ear canal. All you need to do with these afterswims is break the surface level of water, and the product will do the rest. They’re even absorbent enough that you can use one afterswim on both ears!
You can buy them over the counter, or make the drops yourself. One part white vinegar and one part rubbing alcohol can make an ear-drying solution, but only use it if you don’t have an ear infection!
Roll over image to zoom in Auro-Dri Ear-Drying Drops will provide quick relief.
Applying 4 to 5 drops of this in your affected ear will clear up your clogged ear fast. There’s no need to wash the drops out afterwards; they’ll absorb (along with the offending water) in short order. Best of all, they’re inexpensive and easy to keep on hand!
You can also rest your ear on a warm compress, or blow warm air into it (for instance, with a hair dryer on the lowest setting). This should be sufficient to clear the water from your ear!
This Electronic Warm Air Ear Dryer is made specifically for that purpose!
Mac’s ear dryer lets you naturally dry out your ears with warm, soothing air. No drops, swabs, or hair dryers necessary. It’s doctor-recommended and super easy to use, so if you can swing it, you should definitely consider keeping an electric ear dryer on hand.
Both vinegar/alcohol and water-diluted hydrogen peroxide can help with water-clogged ears, but there are even more solutions beyond that. If you’re suffering from earaches or swimmer’s ear, there are herbal remedies.
Garlic Ear Oil Drops are an all-natural method of ear-care.
This clever herbal formula can also help with clogs in your ears. Just shake the bottle well and then squeeze drops directly into ear ear; the formula both relieves pain and softens earwax, helping to prevent infections and swimmer’s ear.
Don’t want a water-clogged ear? If it’s something you’re worried about right from the get-go, before you even step into any water, then you can always make sure that a clog isn’t a possibility at all. Use ear plugs made specifically for swimming!
Swimming Ear Plugs are perfect for the job.
These ear plugs are shaped to fit snugly inside your ear and lay flat against the outer ear. That way, they provide the ideal protection against incoming water; you can wear them for swimming, bathing, and pretty much any sort of water sport.
Given how many different solutions there are, you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping your ears clog-free now!