The Most Hygienic Way To Clean Your Ears

Earwax — no one likes to talk about it, but we all have it. And although it's often perceived as icky, earwax is actually good for our ear tissues. It helps keep harmful bacteria out of our ear canals while keeping them moisturized, among other things. Still, we do occasionally need to clean out our ears because of an overabundance of earwax or day-to-day dirt and dust. 

Double board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp, of MDCS, exclusively shared with Glam how to clean your ears safely. "The most hygienic way to clean your ears is to leave them alone and let nature remove wax naturally," he says. "Water from showering and the movement of your jaw from talking and chewing help navigate wax and debris out of the ear canal."

If your earwax is bothering you, try using ear drops to soften the substance, Dr. Camp adds. When it comes to the outer part of the ears, the expert suggests using a washcloth to remove dead skin cells and debris. And if you're wondering how often your ears need to be cleaned, a daily run-through is all you need.

Just like brushing your teeth and washing your face, cleaning your ears should become a daily habit. But you don't have to stress about adding an extra step to your regimen. Dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp exclusively told Glam, "Letting soap and water or shampoo and water run over your ears in the shower daily and wiping them dry with a towel may be all that is necessary." He added, "If you are concerned about impaction, or tend to develop a lot of wax and build-up, consider seeing a specialist to help with a professional cleaning."

You may already have heard that you should never use Q-tips to clean your ears. Dr. Camp confirmed this and explained, "These swabs can push wax, debris, and dead skin cells further into the ear canal, which can cause impaction. Impacted ear canals can become irritated and in some cases cause muffled hearing." So save those cotton swabs for makeup hacks.